The Vow
by SHOZO
Summary: Sakura knew she loved him. But did he know he loved her? The story of a young couple from two different walks of life, and all the angst and confusion that comes with being together, when the world seems to be set on tearing them apart.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

It was just past midnight, and a cold northeasterly wind was blowing through the sleeping village. Winter had come early that year, bringing with it six inches of snow and fewer hours of daylight. Everything was still outside, except for the undulating branches of the snow-laden trees and the soft hooting of an owl.

Despite the cold weather, the sky was clear and a full moon illuminated all that the eye could see in every direction. In a small studio apartment on the other side of town, a young woman sat by the window, admiring the picturesque image the night presented. She held a cup of coffee in one hand, her thick hair pulled into a messy bun at the top of her head.

On the wooden table before her, various medical textbooks were strewn around a thin laptop computer. Haruno Sakura was no stranger to the long hours associated with studying for exams, but after five years in school she was thoroughly sick of it all. In just a few days, she would be taking the National Medical Licensing Board Examination, which she would need to pass by at least 60% before becoming a doctor-in-training.

With all the hours she spent holed up at home or at the university library, she had very little time for friends and family. This was a fact that everyone complained about, except the person that mattered most.

The only thing _he_ complained about was her living arrangement.

The small apartment she lived in was functioning, but old and inconveniently located in a sleepy little town outside Tokyo called _Kawagoe_. Train rides to and from Tokyo were forty minutes long, and the town didn't have very much in the way of entertainment. If _Kawagoe_ was beautiful in its rustic simplicity, culture and tradition, her boyfriend didn't notice it.

They had only been together for a year and a half, but he had spent the better part of the last eight months attempting to get her to move. The subject had become a touchy one in their relationship, and the root cause of several arguments.

Sakura had chosen to live here because there were little to no distractions, and because the rent was cheap.

But even she had to admit it had its shortcomings.

Which explained tonight.

It was now a quarter to one, and he was running later than she had expected.

Setting down her coffee cup, Sakura bit her lower lip, wondering if she had put everything away.

Two compact suitcases and one larger one sat by the door. In it were all her clothes, books and other paraphernalia. She had spent the better part of the day listening to lectures and packing.

Her lease on the apartment would be over at noon the next morning, and he had said he would pick her up right after a dinner date with some important potential investors ended.

Not for the first time, Sakura wondered if she was making the right decision.

As much as she was in love, moving in with someone could be challenging.

Especially when that someone happened to be Uchiha Sasuke.

Never had two people been more different.

Where she was open, bubbly and cheerful, he was aloof, reserved and quiet.

Perhaps their upbringing had something to do with it.

Sakura's family was a small, but loving unit. She had grown up in the middle class, Bunkyo ward of Tokyo, attended a public high school, graduated with distinction and was accepted into the elite and competitive Faculty of Medicine at the university of Tokyo.

He on the other hand, came from an entirely different world. The Uchiha family was one of the oldest and wealthiest clans in modern day Japan. Sasuke had grown up in a traditional style estate in Kyoto with a staff of fifteen, and then sent to an exclusive boarding school in Osaka. Although he had been blessed with all the material things in life, he received little to no attention from his clan in Kyoto until he graduated from university and started his own, very successful business with his loud-mouthed best friend.

In her eyes, what Sasuke had achieved over the last few years was incredible.

Beginning as a start-up in a small suite in an old building in the Ginza district, Sasuke's tech company, IANSAD, had turned profits of over a seventy million dollars last year.

And this was with no help from his family.

Sasuke had insisted on being independent.

It was what Sasuke's older brother- someone Sakura knew he both respected and competed against- had done ten years earlier before taking on the daunting role of President of Uchiha Inc.

Having never met any of his relatives, she didn't know what his relationships with any of them were like, but the idea of one day having to meet them was unnerving.

And now that she was moving into his penthouse in the heart of Tokyo, that day was drawing ever closer.

A distant sound of a buzzing distracted her thoughts. Turning around, Sakura rushed over to the adjoining bedroom and picked up her cell phone.

1 Missed Call from Ino Yamasaki.

Realizing her friend was probably short on minutes, Sakura rolled her eyes and called her back.

"Sakura-_chaaaan_!"

Wherever Ino was, it was noisy.

"Ino? Are you okay?"

"Fine!" She was shouting. "I'm fine." Then a moment later, the most unnecessary statement ever: "I-thiNNnk-I'm-drrr-drunk."

The words came out tumbling out of her mouth in a rush of barely distinguishable syllables, followed by uncontrollable giggles.

Sakura could hear the unfamiliar voice of a man in the background, but she couldn't hear what he was saying.

"Where are you?"

Last week Ino had foolishly broken up with her high school sweetheart, Shikamaru, over a text message he had received from some bimbo at the bar he worked at. Shikamaru had insisted the girl was a friend, but Ino had seen otherwise.

So she dumped him.

And now she was alone somewhere, drunk with strange men around her.

"Look, tell me where you are and I'll see if I can come find you."

For a second she was afraid her friend had abandoned her phone, but Ino finally responded: "Noooo. Nooo!" she sounded irrationally upset now. "Don't come! I'm fine. I'm going home now with my friend. I love him, you know? Like…reaaaal love."

Sakura sighed, pressing a hand against her forehead. "Ino, you can't leave with strange men. It's dangerous okay? Tell me where you are."

"No!"

This was getting annoying.

Sakura decided to take another route. "Can I talk to your friend then? Just to see if he's nice enough."

Ino immediately chirped up. "My friend? You-will-loooove my friend. He's the besshtt."

A moment later, a calmer, sober person was on the line: "Good evening. This is Officer Jiro from the Harajuku Police Station. Are you Miss Yamasaki's next of kin?"

Sakura was in shock. "No, but I can get in touch with them. Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine, ma'am. Miss Yamasaki lost her purse and needs some assistance getting home. Do you know of any friends or family of hers that may live in this immediate area?"

"Her boyfriend works not too far from Harajuku." Sakura responded, still reeling. "I'm sure he'll be able to pick her up. Are you both at the station now? Can you give me your exact address?"

The officer provided her with their location, promised to watch over her friend, and then promptly hung up. It didn't take Sakura very long to reach Shikamaru, and, when he finally understand what had happened, told her he was out himself and less than a block away.

Sakura felt comfortable leaving the situation in his hands, and just as she ended the call she heard a key in the lock as her front door opened.

Sasuke.

Crossing over into the front room, she found him standing in the doorway, dressed in dark jeans and a navy blue sweater. There were snowflakes in his thick, spikey black hair and a grim expression in his stoic face. When his dark eyes met hers, butterflies erupted in the pit of her stomach.

It was funny how he could still cause that reaction in her, even when he was in one of his distempered moods.

"Hi," she said simply, giving him an awkward wave.

What was he so upset about?

It was intimidating.

"How many times do I have to ask you to use the slide-bar lock?" His words were quiet but stern, like velvet over steel. "Anybody could have broken in."

Sakura felt her hackles rising, but bite back an angry retort.

She knew he had her best interests at heart, but his overprotectiveness coupled with his tone- the tone of someone used to commanding and being obeyed- grated on her nerves.

"I'm not a child, Sasuke," she reminded him. "I can take care of myself."

Then, deciding against giving him the welcoming kiss she had originally intended, she grabbed her coffee cup from the table and scrubbed it clean in the small corner of the room that served as a kitchen.

Without saying anything else to her, Sasuke grabbed two of her suitcases and disappeared out the door. He returned a moment later, and grabbing the last suitcase, he said: "I've got the car in front of the building. The engine is still running since it's so cold out. Get a jacket on and grab your laptop and come down to the lobby."

Then he was gone.

Resisting the urge to make a face, Sakura turned off the lights in the bedroom, pulled on a coat she had lying in the front room and slipped on a pair of leather boots she had by the door. Realizing only then that she had left her laptop, she scrambled over to the table, and threw it into her handbag. Then, glancing around the room to ensure she missed nothing else, she grabbed her set off house keys from the hook by the door, and let herself out.

As she heard the final click of the lock, she slid the key out and squared her shoulders.

This was it.

The big moment.

A little piece of her independence was gone.

Turning away, Sakura opted out of waiting for the elevator and took the stairs down to the lobby.

The landlord had asked that she leave the keys in her mailbox, so, ensuring that was done, Sakura burst out into the cold night.

The visitor's parking lot was empty, except for a sleek black Maserati Quattroporte. The engine was still running, and Sasuke stood leaning against the hood, rubbing his gloved hands together against the midnight chill.

As Sakura approached, he pulled open the passenger door and motioned her in.

She could tell from his mannerisms that he regretted snapping at her, but she wouldn't make things easier for him. Tossing her purse onto her seat, she was about to slid in when he grabbed her arm.

"Let's not do it like this," he told her, relaxing his grip when she flinched at his touch.

"You were really rude."

"I know."

"You owe me an apology."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I didn't deserve that."

"I know."

He reached down, and lifted her chin with one hand.

Emerald green eyes met charcoal black ones. "I-," he paused, as though searching for the right words. "I worry about you."

The fight died out of her. "Why couldn't you just say it like that in the first place?"

His only response was a slow, gentle kiss. It wasn't in his usual style, and by the time he pulled away her heart was thudding furiously and a blush had settled across her cheeks.

"Let's get going."

Before he could step away, Sakura stood up on tiptoes and kissed him again. She had meant to give him a quick, chaste peck, but it turned into more when he turned them around and pushed her against the side of the car.

Sakura felt like she was melting into him, and clung onto his shoulders for dear life as his tongue coaxed her mouth open, searching and taking. His hands were everywhere- behind her back, across her midriff, and then groping, embarrassingly, at her behind.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered if any of the neighbors were awake and were getting a real show.

As he trailed kisses down her neck, she realized she really didn't care.

She didn't know if it was a good or a bad thing, but all thoughts of morality were gone when they were together. And when he touched her, the way he was doing now, it would always lead to this breathless, desperate high.

He was muttering something in her ear, and it took her clouded mind a moment to distinguish his words.

'I can't wait to get you home'.

Home.

That was right.

They would be living together now.

The idea of that brought a smile to her face.

Leaning his head down, Sasuke pressed his forehead against hers. She felt a sense of womanly satisfaction at how aroused she had gotten him in so short a period of time. Whatever control he had on her, she knew she had the same effect on him.

"I love you," she told him, brushing her hand through his thick shock of dark hair. "I know you don't like saying it back, so don't force yourself. But I do. Really."

Then, not waiting for him to reply, she turned and slipped into the car.

Twisting over to pull on her seatbelt, she waiting as he shut the door and came around to the driver's side.

The truth was, she knew he felt strongly about her. And she knew he wasn't used to describing his feelings. Words really weren't his forte.

But she did love him, and she wanted him to know it.

She also knew that he loved her back. Just as much.

The only trouble was, she wasn't sure that he recognized how he felt.

Love really wasn't a part of his vocabulary. But, now that they were building a life together, she would make him see.

He would find out just how much influence she had over him.

He would say the words back.

This was her vow to herself.

Sakura had no intention of being just another girl in his life.

She was _the one_ for Uchiha Sasuke, and it was time for him to realize that.

**(A/N: Not sure where any of this came from. Thought it was time I refreshed my writing chops. Let me know your thoughts! More from InoxShika, and MORE IMPORTANTLY, sasusaku goodness in the next chapter.)**


	2. Chapter 2

There wasn't very much Sakura remembered from that drive back into the city. She was so exhausted from endless hours of studying that she was asleep before they even got on the expressway. Dozing in and out of consciousness, she vaguely recalled Sasuke turning on the radio, and then at some point, answering a hands-free call via the touchscreen control panel on the dashboard.

It wasn't very long before she felt, rather than saw, the car come to a stop.

Rubbing her bleary eyes, Sakura glanced around.

They were in the underground parking lot of his ritzy building.

"Need me to carry you?"

Sakura smiled.

She knew he wasn't joking.

"I'll be fine."

He came around to help her out of the car anyway. Placing a cool, supporting hand on the small of her back, he held her there for a minute: "Here"

In his other hand was a white electronic card key.

"I'm flying to Kyoto in the morning, to see my father. You'll need this to get around."

Then he turned and began unloading her things from the trunk. Grabbing a handle on one of the smaller suitcases, Sakura adjusted the strap on her purse and slipped the card into one of its compartments.

Soon they were rolling her bags down the dark private lot and using his card to get them past the protected double glass doors, into a marble lobby. There, a discreet uniformed man, who served as the concierge, greeted them by name.

Sakura had only been to his place a handful of times, preferring to spend time with him in her own home where she could relax and had easy access to all her things. It was hard not find all this glass, steel and marble intimidating. It felt more like a business than a home.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked her, as the elevator doors shut behind them.

"Nothing," she smiled, as he pulled her close. "I'm just really tired."

"You smell good," he remarked, lowering his head into her hair.

Resting her head against his shoulder, Sakura hummed her response. Her eyelids felt extremely heavy, and she didn't know if she would be able to stay awake long enough to unpack her things. Stifling a yawn, Sakura reluctantly pulled away from the comfort of his strong build and warm embrace as the elevator pinged to a stop.

The doors opened to reveal Sasuke's double-story penthouse suite.

Even from the front foyer, the view was incredible. Floor to ceiling windows revealed sweeping panoramic views of Tokyo tower, and the sprawling lights of the city beyond. The apartment itself wasn't very large but it was fitted with designer appliances, and due to her partner's minimalistic tastes, decorated sparsely.

In Sakura's opinion, the prettiest thing about the whole place was the rooftop swimming pool, which was designed to seemingly reach out into the horizon.

The first floor contained a fully equipped kitchen, sundeck, and an open plan living and dining room. A pair of sleek polished stairs led to the second floor, where the master bedroom and ensuite bathroom were located.

During her first visit, Sasuke had (laughably) called his home 'quaint'.

To Sakura, it was more like a lavish villa in the sky.

"Are you hungry?" Sasuke questioned, as he set her things down and made his way over to the kitchen. "I don't have any food in the house, but I could order some takeout."

"I'm fine."

Freeing her hair out of the bun she had pulled it into that morning, Sakura yawned and stretched her arms out. "Do you mind if I borrow something of yours to sleep in? I'm too tired to go digging through any of my stuff."

"Second floor- you know where my closet is."

She had fully intended on getting upstairs, changing and then taking a quick power-nap (knowing he would most likely be answering business calls for at least another hour), but somehow once under the covers she simply couldn't fall asleep.

Ordinarily, she would have pegged it down to her new surroundings but she had spent the night at Sasuke's place before.

So what was it?

Sitting up, Sakura turned over to the bedside table to look for the remote control used for the flat screen TV.

Maybe an hour of reruns would help her drift off.

Except the remote wasn't there.

Feeling irritable, and knowing that it was past three AM, Sakura was about to give up when she noticed something peaking out from under the bed. Throwing off the covers, she bent over to grab at it.

And that was how her boyfriend walked in on her.

If Sasuke had any ideas of getting any office work done, they went right out then window when he found his girlfriend, ass in the air, dressed in nothing but an old t-shirt of his and a black thong.

Immediately, all the blood in his body rushed down below his waist.

Turning to find him staring, Sakura flashed him a smile: "I can't sleep."

Then, ignorant of the situation he was in, she pulled the covers up to her chin and switched on the television.

The notebook- a movie Sasuke absolutely despised- was playing.

Sitting there, staring wide-eyed at the screen, with her long hair spilling around her small shoulders, she looked almost childlike. "I love Ryan Gosling," she told him, as he sat down, over the covers (to avoid making himself even more uncomfortable), beside her.

"Why don't you ever take me on dates like that?" Sakura questioned with a yawn, resting her head against his shoulder.

If it had occurred to Sasuke that intercepting her date with another man, and then threatening to kill himself if she didn't come out with him, were the actions of a lunatic and not a romantic, he didn't mention it.

Instead, he sat there; wondering when would be the appropriate time to show her just where his mind was going now that they were alone.

"I'm so tired," Sakura told him. "Get under the sheets with me. It's cold."

Still completely clothed, Sasuke decided to comply.

She must think he was a saint, because a second later she had draped her leg over his. Snuggling her head against his chest, she sight deeply. "How long will you be in Kyoto for?"

"A few hours," he responded, gruffly.

Were her eyes drooping shut?

This night _really_ wasn't going his way.

"Promise you'll come home straight after?"

"Sure."

"Mmm..."

Gritting his teeth, Sasuke decided it was time he took matters into his own hands.

As tired as she was, he had waited all day, enduring meeting after meeting, to get a chance to do this.

It had been over a week since he had last been inside her, and there was only so much a man could take.

A better man would have allowed her to rest, knowing well that she spent too much time pouring over course work to take care of herself. And for that, a small part of him did feel guilty.

But his need for her was greater.

She was a weakness of his, and he had accepted that early into their relationship.

Before meeting Sakura, Sasuke had never spent that kind of time trying win a girl over. Usually, the mention of his last name and the contents of his wallet were enough to get a woman to drop her panties.

But this one was different.

"I'm tired," she whispered to him, eyes still closed when his hands moved dangerously close to her inner thigh.

"Sasuke-_kun_." There was a warning note in her voice now, and, sensing his insistence she turned her back to him.

Despite her sleep fogged mind, Sakura felt her body responding to his heated touch as his wandering hands reached up to cup her breasts. Ignoring her muffled protests, Sasuke turned her onto her back, and then, moving so that he was above her, he carefully pulled the t-shirt off so that she was left in nothing but the black thong he had seen earlier.

Bending his dark head, his mouth closed over one of her nipples, drawing a soft gasp from the woman beneath him.

He knew he had her full attention when her hands sprung into his hair, holding him in place as his tongue rubbed against them until both were stiff and taut. Before he could let himself explore anything else her naked body had to offer, the girl beneath him had thrown her arms over the strong pillar of his neck, and vivid green eyes were fixed on his own: "Do you want me that badly?"

Her voice was husky with sleep and arousal.

His answering look was response enough.

Despite her mental exhaustion, Sakura's body felt wide awake. He dipped his head, and then he was kissing her again, picking up where they had left off earlier that night. As his hungry mouth explored hers, Sakura couldn't help but mewl softly at the continued onslaught. She felt like she was being swept away as he pulled her up until she was on all fours, all thought of sleep now forgotten, and pulled her thong off until it was hanging just above her bent knees.

If she thought it was unfair that she was completely naked and he was still clothed, she never got a chance to vocalize her displeasure because a moment later his warm hand had settled on her vagina.

She was totally unprepared when, instead of prepping her as he usually did, two digits slipped deep into her.

Sakura gasped, face falling forward, a curtain of long, thick hair hiding her expression from him.

For a few seconds, she felt as though she wasn't able to draw breath as his fingers began to move, thrusting in and out of her in a wild, random pattern that she wasn't able to mimic with her hips.

It was too much.

"Sasuke," the words were gasped out, breathlessly.

She knew he liked her like this: vulnerable and aroused beyond bearing.

Reaching down, she tried to grab at his hand as he continued pumping into her, almost brutally. Sakura felt as though her knees would give out.

Behind her, she could still hear the movie playing, and her mind couldn't help but draw the contrast between the idyllic Noah and her ruthless Sasuke. He wasn't the kind of guy story book romances were based upon, but his effect on her was tantalizing.

She was writhing now. How was it that this man could drive her so close to edge at any moment during intimacy?

It was almost as though his body was made for hers.

A few more strokes, and then suddenly she was frozen, feeling as though the wind was knocked out of her.

A moment later, stars exploded behind hers eyes as she shook with the pleasure of climax.

She was no longer able to hold herself up, but, he kept a steadying arm around her waist, pulling her back against his strong form.

Strange to think that she who had been so sheltered in the past with the other men she had dated, could be so open with this man.

The things she did with him she would never have dreamed of doing with anyone else.

As he tilted her head back, meeting her lips with his own, she wondered who else he had done this kind of thing with.

Was it immature for her to care? To wonder if any of this meant anything to him?

Was it just sex?

Unwilling to think about it any further, Sakura allowed herself to be swept away in the moment. Making up for lost time, she meet his urgency with her own as she helped him pull his shirt off. Stifling a laugh as he attempted to kick off his jeans, in a hurry to be inside her she watched as he stood up, and tore them off along with his boxers.

Any amusement she felt died away as he returned to hover over her, naked at last.

His erection pressed against her stomach as he brushed her hair out of her eyes.

Unable to help herself, and wanting to tease him for dominating her so mercilessly earlier, she reached down and wrapped her hand around the lower half off his long, hard length.

"Fuck," he exhaled slowly, as her fingers began to work him.

Leaning her forehead into the crook of her neck, her lips brushed the soft skin of his throat.

He pressed his check alongside hers. The feel of his breath puffing against her ear and throat sent shivers cascading down her spine.

There was something so empowering about being able to evoke this kind of reaction from a man like Sasuke.

He could be as cool and calm as he wanted to the outside world, but not with her.

For a moment she contemplated taking control of the situation and giving him a blow-job. Unlike most women, she actually enjoyed stimulating her man orally. Perhaps it had to do more with the electric attraction between them, rather than the act itself.

But tonight, she just wanted him inside her without any further delays.

Almost as though he was able to read her mind, Sasuke drew her legs apart so that she was (embarrassingly) splayed apart, before settling between her hips. It was her turn for her breath to hitch at the feel of his stiff erection pushing into her. Unable to resist, Sakura rolled her hips gently to feel more of him, just as he ground against her.

"_Oh_," she gasped, clutching at his broad shoulders with shaky hands.

With a feral grunt, Sasuke buried himself into her to the hilt.

It was too much, too fast. Tears sprung to hers eyes, and she turned her head away.

They hadn't done this in a while with all the working he did, so her body was tighter than either of them had expected.

"Fuck, you're tight," he bent his head, "I'm sorry."

Nails digging deep crescents into the skin on his shoulders, Sakura bit her lower lip. "I-I'm fine."

And she was. The pain was gone, leaving behind a sensation of complete fullness.

He moved to kiss her forehead, and she moaned at the sudden lash of pleasure the friction of movement caused. He moved slower now, and she could tell it was driving him crazy to stay so controlled. His torso was covered with a thin sheen of sweat, and she watched, fascinated, as his face contorted with grimaces of pleasure.

Despite the slower pace, he soon had her whimpering as she met the thrust of his own hips with her own.

A knot of pleasure was winding deep within her, flamed by every stroke within her.

Sasuke's speed was picking up, reaching fever pitch, his breathing as erratic as hers. All too soon she could sense herself nearing the end. She was trembling, as he continued to thrust, using one hand to now lift one of her legs, hooking it beneath her bottom.

"_Sasuke_!" She cried out, arching her back, and holding on helplessly as her body was wrecked by wave after wave of pleasure.

He lasted only a few more minutes after her, grunting as his body went rigid, and his seed spilled deep within her.

Sakura lay there, spent, as he rolled off.

Turning over onto her side to look at him, Sakura frowned: "I wish you didn't have to go."

Her hand founds his, under the sheets.

"Where?"

"Kyoto."

This was the type of conversation she tried to avoid, in general. They both had full schedules, and he never expected her to drop anything for him.

But that didn't make it easier for her.

After all, her relationship with Sasuke was very much a part of her every day life. When they were at her old apartment, they would go grocery shopping together, cook lunch, do laundry and visit her family and friends. Everyone in her life knew about him.

But for Sasuke it was different.

His family was based out of town, and she had never met any of his friends with the exception of Naruto.

Often times, she wondered if he was hiding her away on purpose.

Almost as though he could sense her displeasure, Sasuke rose groggily and pressed a kiss, his tenderest yet, against her closed mouth.

"Che, you worry too much."

Then, he pulled her to him, and closed his eyes.

Sakura knew, from his body language, that he considered the subject closed.

His family life was his family life.

His business his business.

She was outside of that all, and that's the way he wanted it.

For now.

**(A/N: This chapter has gotten too long! I just have to end it here. Forgive me! Leave me a review to let me know what you thought, dear readers. Was Sasuke OOC at all? What do you all make of their relationship?)**


	3. Chapter 3

It was raining heavily the next morning.

Despite the weather, Sakura woke up feeling refreshed.

Her first night cohabitating with a man hadn't gone too bad after all.

Granted, they had gotten off to a rocky start, but that was water under the bridge now.

Sakura had never lived with anyone outside of her parents before, and she had been concerned that things would be awkward but it was clear now that she had no reason to be concerned.

Her boyfriend was- _dreamy_.

What did she have to complain about?

Here she was luxuriating in this stunning apartment, starting a fresh chapter of her life with someone she loved. Though not the type to rush anything, she could picture them down the road, getting married and having babies.

Smiling to herself, she wondered what kind of father Sasuke would be?

Certainly strict- but with a soft spot for his little girls.

Tougher on the boys, but kind.

Traditional.

As happy as she was with their current set-up, it couldn't be denied that this wasn't ideal in Japanese society. Unmarried couples simply did not move in together. It was frowned upon, and yet she couldn't bring herself to care.

He was worth it. He made her happy.

And, as conservative as he was in terms of his principles, Sasuke seemed indifferent to the opinion of the general public.

Yet another thing she loved about him.

The glaring red numerals on the alarm clock beside the bed brought her attention to how late it was. She had too much to do to be lying around at quarter past ten. Throwing off the covers, Sakura slipped on a pair of plush terrycloth slippers and padded softly over to the bathroom for a quick shower.

She emerged a little while later, dressed for the day in a pair of black stockings and a sensible brown woollen dress that she had purchased online from a high-street store. Her hair was partially dry; so she wore it lose over shoulders, leaving it to air out. Despite the low temperatures outside, she knew that she would be warm enough with her coat, boots and beanie to brave a quick train ride to Ino's place.

It was Sakura's duty- as a friend- to ensure her best friend's safety.

Sasuke had preoccupied her last night, so she had forgotten to get in touch with Shikamaru and ensure that Ino had in fact been located.

And now she felt guilty.

She had just come clambering down the steps to the front door, when she all but ran into a portly middle-aged woman dressed in a black and white uniform in her rush to leave. The woman seemed just as shocked to see Sakura, as she was to see her. Recovering from her initial surprise, Sakura found that the woman had been dusting and was some sort of hired help.

"Hello," Sakura said, stepping back. "Do you work for Sasuke-kun?"

The older woman surveyed her with interest, her brown eyes taking in everything from Sakura's boots (stepping on the freshly wiped down marble floors), to her messy hair do. Her demeanor seemed to indicate that she was in some kind of position of authority, and resented being questioned by an unknown young girl.

"Yes," came the cool response, followed by what could barely be described as a bow. "And you are a friend of Sasuke's, spending the night?"

Sakura's eyebrows lifted.

Did this woman think she was a one-night stand, caught making the walk of shame?

"I'm his girlfriend," Sakura returned. "Haruno Sakura."

It was obvious that this woman- whoever she was- didn't think she was important enough to know what exactly she did for Sasuke.

And why hadn't he told her that he had help?

What if she had come down here in her pajamas or something?

Her next words were even more of a shock.

"_Oh_. I hadn't realized Sasuke-chan had a girlfriend. I wonder why he never told his Mita." The woman sighed, shaking her head. "Twenty-seven years I have been looking after him. I can't believe he would keep secrets from me." Then, almost as though she had just realized Sakura was still standing there, she shot her a wide, forced smile: "Have you been together long?"

"Almost two years."

Mita, the housekeeper, was now incredulous: "_No_! Really? I thought after dear Karin, Sasuke-chan had given up on serious relationships."

"Karin?"

"Surely you must know Uzumaki Karin? Sasuke-chan's ex fiancée?"

Sakura's stomach sank straight to her toes. "F-fiancée?"

It was then that Mita, realizing what she was disclosing was not common knowledge after all, bowed again and excused herself. Her shift was over, she would be leaving. There was food in the kitchen- wouldn't Sakura please help herself? And with that, and another broad smile, she was gone.

All the way over to Ino's apartment in the Shinjuku area, Sakura hardly knew herself.

Sasuke had been engaged?

Perhaps she was naïve, but she had thought that this was his first serious relationship- just as it was hers. This whole time she had been marveling at the new level of closeness they were developing, thinking he was opening up to her, meanwhile he had deeper roots with another woman.

Just what else did she not know about him?

To Sakura, Sasuke was her first in every regard.

The first man she had ever loved; the first man she had been intimate with; the first man she had introduced to her family. She had always known that he had a past- a man like Sasuke could never live like a priest- but she had assumed nothing had been serious.

Every other woman he had been with didn't matter.

If they had, he would have told her right?

So why had she never heard of Karin?

An Uzumaki- was she related to Naruto? He had been friends with Naruto since elementary school. Was it possible that this was a woman Sasuke had known all his life?

Sakura's stomach was in such a tight knot she could have puked by the time she got to Ino's apartment. The minute her friend opened the door, Sakura felt like she would explode if she didn't get a chance to tell her what happened. Ino, though clearly hung over (the curtains were drawn and she was still in her dress from last night), let her in and asked, in her no nonsense why, just what had Sakura so shaken up.

The whole story came tumbling out over a cup of hot coffee (the instant stuff, which Sakura had to prepare because Ino needed to 'rest her eyes'), and at the end of it, Ino had one question: "Did you look this chick up online?"

"Not yet. I came straight over here."

"Amateur."

A few quick Google searches on Ino's laptop brought all of Sakura's worst fears to life.

"She's gorgeous." Ino breathed, as they flicked through a few images of a red headed, long legged socialite in a variety of luxurious settings. "That bitch."

Touched by her friend's loyalty, Sakura put an arm around her shoulders. "What does she do for a living? I'm sure her only occupation is to max out daddy's credit cards and go to parties."

The universe refused to be that kind.

The next revelation turned out to be the biggest of the morning yet.

"She works at IANSAD," Ino breathed, blue eyes widening in shock. "As assistant to the CEO- isn't Sasuke the CEO?"

Sakura couldn't believe it. "Well, he and Naruto share the role but-"

The next search result removed all doubt. There it was. Hundreds of pictures taken at company press conferences and events over the past year. Every photo showed Sasuke, in his element, with Karin never too far behind.

"I can't believe he would keep this from me," Sakura said, turning away. "I can't believe he was going to get married! Less than two years ago. And that this girl is still in his life."

"Men," Ino muttered, darkly. "They're all pigs."

"Ino." Sakura took a seat at her friend's kitchen table, feeling her spirit deflate. "What if he's cheating on me? What if I'm the rebound girl?"

"Don't be stupid," Ino responded, patting Sakura on the shoulder. "You can't decide that without talking to him about it. I'm sure there's an explanation. Maybe the girl refused to quit, and Sasuke was too kind to fire her."

The two girls stared at each other, each recognizing the unlikely hood of that statement.

"You're right," Ino amended, "Sasuke's too ruthless to take anything like that into consideration. Still, you have to ask him about it."

Sakura groaned, running a hand through her long, pale locks. "Right. Because he's so easy to talk to." Her voice was drenched with sarcasm: "I'll just make dinner, and ask him if he's still banging his ex that he was once engaged to, shall I?"

"Don't be silly." Ino paused, considering her friend's options. "Wait for him to get home from work-"

"He's in Kyoto."

"When does he get back?"

"Tonight."

"Fine." Ino rolled her eyes. "Wait for him to get home from Kyoto, and tell him what you learned from the housekeeper. See what he says. But whatever his response is, get your hands on his phone when he falls asleep and read through all his text messages and emails. Take a look at his call logs. It'll give you piece of mind."

"I can't snoop through his things!"

"It's not snooping through his things that's got you blindsided in this situation," Ino pointed out. "Now finish your coffee, and make sure your home before he is."

Feeling a rush of affection for her friend, Sakura smiled in spite of the circumstances. "I can't believe we are having this conversation…"

"I'm just happy we're not talking about just my boy troubles any more," Ino admitted, picking up their empty mugs.

"What happened last night?"

For a moment Ino didn't respond, busying herself with cleaning up the dishes and putting away the instant coffee jar. But when she turned around, Sakura could see that her little plan of getting Shikamaru to pick her up hadn't worked very well.

"He brought me home."

"And?"

"We made out," Ino admitted. "I was just drunk. But then I asked him to leave, and he left. Just like that."

"Oh Ino." Sakura couldn't help the note of pity that crept into her voice.

"Don't." Ino forced a smile. "I don't care. I broke up with him. He's just upset about that. And if I hadn't been drunk, I would never have been so stupid and weak."

Their conversation left Sakura with a lot to think about.

If Sasuke really had been cheating on her- what would she do?

Would she take him back?

Could she stand to leave him?

And just why did his engagement to this woman, whoever she was, end in the first place?

* * *

Winter was always the quietest season in Kyoto.

Once the leaves had fallen off the trees, long after the cherry blossoms had ceased to bloom, all the tourists left town and the locals would stay off the streets to avoid the cold.

But to Kansai residents, this was the best time of year.

Despite the low temperatures and the number of layers required to stay warm, the atmosphere of the city was never affected by the lull in vacationers. After all, this was the time for crowded cafes, impromptu _bossa nova_ concerts at galleries, and coffee shops serving the indigenous favorite hot milk with _matcha_.

In general, the whole town would transform into a large après-ski party.

However, this particular morning Sasuke could enjoy nothing his hometown had to offer.

His flight had been delayed, and he couldn't imagine that his family members would be happy about his tardiness.

The email his father's secretary had sent last week had very specific instructions: breakfast at seven-forty.

The old man would be livid.

Running an irate hand through his thick hair, Sasuke stared out the window of the town car that had collected him from the airport, as it made its way down a private road, and wound up a slight hill. On both sides of the driveway, a dense wall of clipped hedges hid the property from sight. They came upon a reinforced steel gate, with a modern guardhouse attached.

There was the sound of a slight buzz as the imposing gate rolled to the side, revealing yet another driveway, this one paved in gravel. As the car rolled along, its tires crunching against the loose gray pebbles and ice, they reached a bend in the road and handsome parklands, covered in four inches of snow, were revealed, behind which sat the striking estate.

Having belonged to the Uchiha family for seventeen decades, a gift from the emperor, the manor houses on the property had been built and rebuilt numerous times over the years. His father had more recently updated the fixtures in the vast kitchens, and spent a fortune on the maintenance of the grounds and the upkeep of the striking emerald green gardens, which could be seen during the warmer months.

In Sasuke's opinion, the place was more like a museum than a home.

Most members of his clan owned their own residences throughout the country so he had never understood why his father continued to pay the eye-watering operating costs on the estate.

It took a small army of nine maids, five butlers, a chef, three cooks, a household manager, an executive housekeeper, twelve laundresses, five chauffeurs, a team of gardening staff and twenty rotating security personal to keep the place in order.

All for a home that nobody lived in for more than a quarter of the year.

What a financial sinkhole.

The car came to a stop, and Sasuke bounded out before the driver could come around to open his door. The driveway was lined with large European luxury vehicles, signalling something he already knew: all the key players in the family were in attendance.

A cluster of chauffeurs, all of whom had been working in the family for decades, loitered in a circle around the cars, smoking; a few of them greeting him as he passed.

"Sasuke-kun."

He had only just stepped through the front doors, entering the dim, sepulchral vestibule of the main house when a soft voice had called to him. Removing his shoes before stepping onto the polished mahogany floors, Sasuke glanced up at the petite woman before him.

Fair-skinned with long, dark hair framing her high cheeks bones, Sasuke's mother was his favorite person in the world. Dressed in a demure Chanel suit, as she always did for breakfast, Mikoto smiled at her son: "You're late."

Sasuke acknowledged that he was, and then, obediently stood by as his mother ruffled his hair back, complaining that he had allowed it to grow too long.

"How was your flight?"

"Fine."

"Everyone's in the morning room waiting for you. Are you hungry?" Her voice was gentle and calming as she took his arm, leading the way down a immense wooden gallery, through a courtyard and into the large room in one of the smaller homes where the family had their meals.

Shoji doors opened to reveal a sunny apartment, with high views overlooking a frozen goldfish pond, and the snow-laden lawns beyond. Accommodated on a long table in the center of the tatami-matted room, were twenty male members of Sasuke's family. At the very head of the table, seated on a firm black cushion, was Fugaku Uchiha.

Although he had turned sixty last year, Sasuke's father was still involved in the running of the family business and served as the leader of the clan. Tall and stately, Fugaku had ingrained the virtues of duty, responsibility and family into his clan.

These things he valued over all else.

To his right, dressed in a pair of black slacks and a button down white shirt rolled up to the elbows, a somber expression on his face, was his older brother, Itachi. Unlike most of Sasuke's relatives, his brother was an entity onto himself. Considered a genius by his contemporaries, his brother had been groomed to take over the massive family business and inherit most of their father's wealth.

As for Sasuke: he was the second son.

The spare.

Nobody had ever cared too much what he did with himself.

"Father. Uncles. Brother." Bending down, in a perfect thirty-degree angle, Sasuke lowered his head in a bow of respect.

"You're late." The words were spoken in a familiar quiet tone, which spoke of displeasure. "Sit."

Squeezing his hand, in a reassuring manner, Sasuke's mother showed him a spot at the opposite end of the table. As soon as they had taken their places, footmen materialized bearing trays with a light repast of rice, grilled fish, natto, miso soup, tomago, nori and pickled plums.

The apartment was silent but for the sounds of chopsticks scrapping delicate china as the family ate. Whatever reason Fugaku had for assembling them, he would not discuss it until the plates were cleared away and the green tea was served.

From across the room, Sasuke caught the eye of his brother.

From the set of his jaw, he could see that Itachi had something weighing on his mind.

But there was no way of deducing just what that was.

Itachi was always an enigma.

Even to him.

It felt like an age before the meal came to a close, but the moment came, and to Sasuke's relief his mother stood up and excused herself as his father lifted a hand to signal the end of the meal.

"Fugaku," his great uncle, Hitoshi, demanded, fixing a pair of watery black eyes at his nephew. "What is it? Why have you gathered us at this hour?"

"_Ojiisan_, I appreciate your curiosity." There was a pause. "The reason for this hurried meeting is simple. A contract is being created between the Uzumaki and Uchiha clan. Some of you will remember that this contract was delayed for some time two years previously- by some…unexpected events."

Sasuke gritted his teeth.

This again?

Even before he looked up, he knew his brother was watching him.

What was he worried about?

Did he think he was uncouth enough to explode at the table?

Like hell.

"I have managed to find a way around this issue," Fugaku continued. "Itachi is to marry the niece of Hitoshi himself. The girl, as you all know, will bring honor and success to the family. As part of the marriage contract, Itachi will now inherit her share of Uzumaki Holdings. Though this share is not large, it is significant enough to impact the future of our own business. This contract will lead to better understanding between the two families, and send a strong message to our competitors."

Shisui Uchiha, Sasuke's cousin, interrupted, in his lazy drawl: "Uncle, the merits of martial bliss to a wealthy female are understood by us all. But I feel that this is not what you called us for. Is the girl someone we all already know?"

Even before the answer came, Sasuke knew what it was.

But he wouldn't believe it until he heard it for himself.

"Yes."

Up until the words were said, Sasuke would have never thought his old man capable of such a trick.

"Your assumptions are correct."

It was then that Itachi spoke, his gaze never leaving his brother's: "Forgive me Sasuke. But Karin has already agreed."

Years later, Sasuke would wonder how he stayed in his seat.

He would wonder where he found the ability to swallow his dark rage, and congratulate his brother in the face of utter betrayal.

But then he would remember: they were all actors weren't they?

Pretending.

Always pretending.

Pretending to be a family, pretending everything was done for the greater good.

This was just another thing on the list.

They were Uchiha. It came with the territory.

**(A/N: Draaaamaaaaaa! I really wanted this chapter to be perfect, but because the plot has so many moving pieces I feel like I _had_ to rush through this. Let me know what you thought in your reviews. Can't wait to post the next chapter!)**


	4. Chapter 4

That afternoon felt like the longest of Sakura's life.

When she got home from Ino's, her plan was to buckle down and getting some studying done. However, that was easier said than done.

Finally, around four o'clock, when she realized she had read the same paragraph five times without understanding a word, Sakura decided she was done for the day. There was no possibility of studying when her mind was occupied with matters outside of clinical training.

So she put her books away, but finding a place to store her things in Sasuke's apartment was another problem.

Because he was borderline OCD, everything of his had a place.

Finding no better spot than the bookshelves in his living room, she neatly lined them up and wandered into the kitchen to search for something to eat. Maita, the housekeeper she had met earlier in the day, had spoken of making lunch. This turned out to be a delicious (but spicy) curry, and steamed white rice.

She had just started eating alone in the spotless kitchen, when her phone began vibrating.

Sasuke.

His text message was brief and to the point: **Dinner with the dobe tonight. Pick you up at seven. Formal.**

Date nights were rare for them, so whenever opportunity presented itself she would never turn down an invitation. However, tonight she had been hoping to get a chance to confront him and doing it in a crowded restaurant was not in her plans.

Sakura sighed, fiddling with her hair.

What should she wear?

And would it be a good idea to talk to him while they were driving over?

What if that led to a fight, and the night was ruined?

But then what if she said nothing, and they had a great time only to spoil it with a fight afterwards?

She hated going to sleep upset.

Except in this case, there seemed to be no way around it. If this conversation of theirs didn't end well, she would be in a tricky situation.

Outside of being heartbroken, there was always the consideration of where she would live.

Sakura no longer had her own apartment, and she would eat crow before moving in with her parents. All they would do was fuss over her, and say that's what she deserved for getting swept away with western ideals.

By the time seven o'clock rolled around, Sakura was dressed for the evening in a short white silk frock (a new year's eve present from her mother), with a simple pearl necklace tied around her throat. It had taken her a while to blow-dry and curl her hair, but the end result was tasteful and added to the ethereal look she was trying to create.

Standing before the mirror in Sasuke's bedroom, trying on first one pair of heels and then another, she settled on a pair of silver wraparounds that had cost a fortune. Overall, Sakura had never been too concerned with fashion- but when she first met Sasuke, he had bought them for her on a whim while walking through Tokyo.

It was one of the few gifts she had ever accepted from him.

After all, when he could freely give away designer shoes and fine jewelry what could she, on a student budget, give back in return?

So they had devised a strict 'no gift' policy after that.

Of course Sasuke being Sasuke, he would conveniently forget their agreement on birthdays and important holidays.

Sakura was putting the final touches on her make-up, when her phone rang.

He was downstairs.

Grabbing her fun, see-through evening clutch (Ino's idea) and her "special occasions only" creme crape blazer, Sakura struggled for a few minutes with operating the elevator but managed to figure it out. The moment the polished metal doors opened up onto the marble lobby, Sakura spotted him.

Dressed in a sharp custom made black suit and a white button down, with his hair slicked back, he was preoccupied with his phone and didn't see her for a moment. But then he looked up, and shot her his customary half smirk-half grin.

Sakura's heart melted, but she steeled herself.

There was no way she would avoid having this conversation.

She didn't care what he said, or did, or-

Somehow his arm slipped behind her back, and he was kissing her.

It became a lot harder to rationalize then.

"Did you have to wear such a skimpy dress?" Were his first words. "Now the dobe's going to a pain in the ass about it."

Sakura laughed, green eyes sparkling.

For whatever reason, Sasuke was convinced his loud-mouthed best friend had a crush on her. It didn't matter that Naruto had never given her any indication that he found her appealing. Sasuke would not be shaken of his opinion.

Friends since elementary school, the two boys had always been competitive. And as far as she could tell, that competition extended itself to her relationship with Sasuke.

There was no denying that the blonde got a kick out of igniting his friend's jealousy by flirting with her.

And Sakura would always play along because- well, a small part of her liked seeing Sasuke's possessive side.

"Cold?"

They had just stepped out of the building, and the rush of freezing night air enveloped them, bringing goosebumps to her skin. Folding her arms across chest, as though that would somehow shield her from the elements, Sakura nodded and followed as he led the way to his car. It felt too cold to talk, but within moments Sasuke had the heater on blast and she was more comfortable.

"Where are we going?" She asked, as he carefully pulled out of his tight parking spot.

Sakura had lived in Tokyo her whole life, and yet every time she went out with the man beside her she felt as though she were rediscovering her own city.

For a Kansai native, she couldn't think of a single person who knew Tokyo better than Sasuke.

He had once told her it was because he spent so much time wining and dining potential clientele.

Of course, having a lot of money also helped.

"_Akasaka Kikunoi_," he told her. "The real one is in Kyoto. But this one is pretty good too."

Sakura rolled her eyes.

Another thing Sasuke was convinced of was that all the food and restaurants were better in Kyoto.

In his mind, nothing in the Kanto region could compare with what Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe had to offer.

"Speaking of Kyoto, how was your visit?" she asked him, pulling down the folding panel in front of her to adjust her hair in the mirror.

Her tone was casual and light, but inside she was a nervous wreck.

What if this was all a misunderstanding?

Could she really brazenly ask him if he had someone on the side?

Loyalty meant everything to Sasuke. If he sensed her mistrust, it could affect the dynamics of their relationship.

"Fine." As usual he wasn't giving much information away.

"You know, I'd really love to visit some day. You could be my guide." She was now veering off-topic, so she had to hold it together. "What did your father want to see you for?"

It took him a moment to respond. "Business matters," he finally told her, his body language betraying nothing.

God, speaking to him about his family was like chipping paint off a wall with her fingernails.

They were getting nowhere.

So she tried a different tactic: "I met your housekeeper today. Maita."

His eyebrows rose. "Maita?"

"Yes." Sakura turned to look at him. "She was cleaning when I came downstairs."

"Cleaning...my _apartment_?"

Why did he seem so puzzled.

"Yes. Why?"

His mask was back in place. "No reason. Are you warm now?"

Was he trying to change the subject?

Sakura had received the motivation she needed. He was clearly uncomfortable with subjects around his family and business life for a reason.

She couldn't hold herself back anymore. She went for the jugular.

"I'm fine." She paused: "Sasuke-kun, who is... Karin?"

Finally, a reaction.

His jaw tightened, and the expression in his eyes darkened.

He was annoyed.

Really annoyed.

"How do you know about Karin?"

"From Maita."

Sasuke swore, viciously banging the steering wheel as they approached a red light. "_Fuck_."

The car rolled to a stop as they waited for the lights to change.

Sakura, surprised by his response, huddled closer to the door as though trying to create some distance.

So it was true.

Everything was true.

He didn't want her to know.

Licking her lips, Sakura took a deep breath and turned her face to stare out the window. Across the street a little girl was walking with her parents, dressed in an adorable pink dress as they enjoyed an evening stroll past the glittering shops of the Minato ward. Everyone was going about normally, and yet Sakura felt like her life was changing right before her.

She recognized, in that moment, the their relationship wasn't the healthiest.

How could it be when she felt such strong emotional ties to the man beside her?

No woman should feel as though all her happiness depended on another human being. It was something her mother had always tried to teach her.

And yet, here she was, pathetically hanging.

"Sakura."

She ignored him.

"Sakura."

He was going to make her cry if he kept saying her name like that.

The lights changed, and with a sigh, he drove onwards.

Biting her lip to keep her emotions at bay, they rode on in silence.

All too soon they had pulled up before a small, bamboo lined lantern-lit lane sitting between two large buildings. It was too dark to see down the path, and Sakura had an idea that this was what had been intended by the restaurants architects.

But despite the picturesque location, she no longer felt like being there at all.

Stealing a glance to her right, Sasuke didn't look too pleased either.

"Look," his tone was low, as though his entire body was simmering on the edge of giving into complete rage. "I'll say this only once."

Sakura turned to look at him.

"There are people I know who are...toxic." It was as though he was fighting his entire character to get the words out. "People you shouldn't be around."

"And Karin is one of them?"

"Karin," hearing him say that name was surreal, "is not important."

"Sasuke-kun, you were _engaged_-!"

He cut her off: "You've already made up your mind, haven't you?"

Sakura's eyes widened, shocked. "Made up my mind?"

"You've already decided what your opinion is. I'm guilty. You don't want to hear any different. Is that it?"

His words were like velvet over steel.

"I want to hear the truth," she told him.

For a moment he said nothing, simply staring out into the night before them, lost in thought.

Sakura had never seen him this agitated, and a small part of her felt bad. This wasn't the reaction of a man who had been unfaithful. She had known his life had some very dark aspects, from things he had said over the course of time that they had been together. So seeing him loosen up around her had been endearing.

And now, this.

Sasuke snorted, derisively. "The _truth, _huh? The truth is that Karin is the daughter of a friend of the family."

"Is she related to Naruto-kun?"

"Yes."

"And you were engaged once?"

"Yes...but before I met you."

"Did you love her?"

"Love?" He shook his head, oddly bemused. "What does love have to do with it?"

"A lot, when you plan on spending your life with someone."

"Our relationship was, and still is, professional. The marriage was designed as a...business agreement." He shrugged. "I went along with it because it would make things easier, and because she would make a good partner for any man."

Hearing him speak highly of another woman, wasn't easy to sit through.

Sakura sighed: "So why did you break up then? If she's so perfect?"

"Because I met you."

He wasn't trying to win her over. His comment was a throw-away.

And yet, it robbed her of breath.

Could it be- that _she_ had been the other woman, after all?

Sasuke sat back, leaning his head against the headrest. "We should go in."

"Wait," Sakura said softly. "I want to know more."

He was quiet.

"Did you," she paused, rephrasing her sentence, "I mean, did we- do anything...while you were engaged?"

His silence was all the response she needed.

"Is that why you won't tell your family about me?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

He sighed. "It's...complicated."

"Why does everything have to be so God damned _complicated_!" Sakura couldn't understand why she was so upset.

It was good news right?

He wasn't cheating.

His emotions for this Karin girl had never held any weight with him.

But the truth was all of this was hitting too close to home.

Years ago, her father had, had an affair that lasted for six miserable months.

It almost destroyed her mother's spirit.

So no matter what Sasuke said, Sakura knew that he had hurt that girl. How could he not see it?

No woman would prepare to marry a man and remove her feelings from the equation. It just wasn't in a woman's DNA; especially not in one who had known him all her life.

She was done with this conversation, and Sasuke wasn't volunteering anything else.

"Sakura." He reached over, trying to touch her but she shrugged him off.

"_Don't_."

Jumping out of the car, Sakura slammed the door with unnecessary force.

This whole situation was infuriating, but they had a dinner to go to.

And if there was one thing she hated, it was showing up late to an appointment.

**(A/N: Yes, I do realize this chapter is short. But I lost most of what I had written, and have to be satisfied with a second-rate second draft. That's punishment enough don't you think? Leave a review, and let me know your thoughts. Also, let me know where you all are from. I've been curious:D)**


	5. Chapter 5

Dinner turned out to be the opposite of a nightmare.

Although the restaurant proved to be beautiful (no main dining hall, split instead into several private chambers all facing an elegant courtyard), and the service was excellent, the mood of the evening had been destroyed.

Sasuke was at his most silent, lending nothing to the conversation.

He sat, expressionless, through six courses and dessert.

And Sakura, still jittery after her their first real argument, felt less than present.

Luckily, Naruto was his usual vivacious self.

The moment they walked in he had swept her into his arms in a bone crushing bear-hug, clapped his friend on the back in greeting and shown them to their table. The questions at first were endless: Was she hungry? Had she been there before? Sasuke was an asshole for always keeping her hidden away. He didn't appreciate good cuisine the way Naruto did; was she often bored by his imbecilic manners? After all, what kind of man would stay so silent around a beautiful woman? That little comment had earned him quite the glare, and Sakura laughed, loosening up a bit.

He kept her entertained throughout dinner with anecdote after anecdote about his shared childhood with Sasuke, and hearing that she had never been to Kyoto herself, volunteered to take her as soon as her exams were done.

"One piece of advice," he leaned in, conspiratorially, ''don't hold your breath for this guy" he jerked his head in Sasuke's direction, "to take you anywhere. He'll make a hundred promises, and never have time. I, on the other hand, am true to my word and punctual."

"I just may have to take you up on your offer." Sakura said, digging her fork into her plate of slivered _wagyū_ beef and musky _matsutake_ mushrooms. "I've been dying to go."

"Then I'm your man. When do you have your exam?"

"Next week Monday." She responded, aware of the way Sasuke was stiffening beside her.

"I'll pick you up on Tuesday," Naruto said, supremely indifferent to the scowl forming on his best friend's face.

Then, because she felt a twinge of guilt, Sakura turned to look at her boyfriend: "Would you like to come with us?"

"No. I would not." Then, as though he were fed up with the conversation, he stood, his chair scrapping loudly against the polished floors. "I'm going to make a call."

A moment later, he was gone.

"Sorry about that," Sakura said, blushing. "He's not in a good mood."

"I know," Naruto winked at her, blue eyes brimming with laughter in the candlelight. "That's what makes it so fun."

A livered attendant materialized at their table then, bearing a menu with a selection of desserts.

Sakura chose a delicious concoction of almond jelly, Hassaku oranges and Basil seeds.

Sasuke hated sweet things, but she ordered him a bean paste soup with rice cake and milk ice-cream.

By the time he got back, the ice-cream was melting and Sakura and Naruto had finished their food and were talking excitedly over cups of hot green tea.

"We're leaving," he told her, cell phone in hand.

"Would ya let her finish her tea?" Naruto demanded, glaring at his friend.

"No, no, I'm done," Sakura announced. "I've had such a good time though. I'll see you on Tuesday, Naruto-kun."

It was the first time she had called him by his first name, cementing the good terms they were on.

As she and Sasuke made their way out of the restaurant, and down the flagstone path towards his car, Sakura was smiling. Naruto's positive vibes were infectious. In spite of everything that had happened earlier that day, she had thoroughly enjoyed herself.

All of that changed the minute they were fastened in.

"Did you have to flirt with him?" Sasuke asked, in a surly tone.

"What?"

"Tch, you heard me."

"Are you jealous?" She shot back. "Don't worry...our relationship is _professional_."

That ended the conversation right away, and they drove home in silence.

But Sakura was miserable after that.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was in a terrible mood.

It was just after ten in the morning, and he had slept through his alarm.

Something that would have _never_ happened if he still lived alone.

He valued order and pattern in his life, carefully planning out each and every detail of his day. Having Sakura ambush him the night before with all this Karin bullshit has never been part of his plans.

Not that he had intended on keeping the girl in the dark forever.

Sakura deserved, if nothing else, to know the truth.

But he had foolishly allowed himself to get swept away with how interesting she had made his life, and postponed it until the inevitable took place. And now he was certain his family were aware of the fact that he was cohabitating with a woman.

He would pay a price for his negligence.

And that made him furious.

By the time he stepped off the elevator in the towering skyscraper owned by IANSAD in downtown Tokyo that morning, ignoring the cheerful greetings of his employees with a dark scowl on his face, and storming past the sets of cubicles, up a pair of short glass steps to his office, the news was out.

**_The chairman was in a bad mood. Steer clear._**

Everyone knew better than to break in on him when his fiery temper was ignited.

Everyone except, of course, Naruto.

The blonde came bounding in a few minutes after he arrived, two cups of coffee in hand, and a stupid grin on his face. "Are you looking at me like that because I almost snatched your girl up from under your nose?" He asked, with supreme disregard for his own safety.

"Fuck off," Sasuke muttered, but there was no heat in his voice. "You're not her type, anyway."

"Here take this." He placed one of the coffee cups on the desk before him. "You know what man, I don't get what all these chicks see in you. You're an asshole."

Sasuke smirked. "Close that fucking door, dobe. You'll have the whole goddamned department listening in."

Naruto obliged, and then threw himself on the chair opposite his friend's desk, legs sprawled out lazily. "So? What did you do to get yourself in the doghouse?"

"She knows about Karin." Sasuke took a swig of his coffee, relishing the bitter taste. "Maita came snooping around after I got back from Kyoto. My mother must have sensed something and sent her over."

"Fuck."

"Yeah."

"So what are you gonna do about it?"

"Nothing, for now." Reaching into his desk drawer, Sasuke pulled out a large file of contracts he had meant to look over for the upcoming fiscal period. "She's not in any danger yet, but she will be if I'm not more careful."

"And Karin?"

"What about her?"

The blonde sat forward, his expression more somber: "The girl's been around long enough. We should get rid of her. I heard about the engagement thing this morning from Shisui. The whole thing's a setup."

"I know that." Sasuke paused, drumming his hands on the file before him. "But we need to keep her around for awhile longer. She'll be useful soon enough."

"And what about Haruno? Are you serious about her? Or is she just another chess piece in your fucked up little game?"

Sasuke's hand froze, and dark eyes lifted to meet a pair of unsmiling blue ones: "What's it to you?"

"I figured I'd take her on once you were done."

"She's mine." The possessive growl in his voice was unmistakable.

"So its like that, huh?" The blonde leaned forward, satisfied. "She's got you all fucked up. She should be proud. I've never seen you get fucked up like that over a girl before." He stood: "Don't worry. I won't steal her from you. Just thought I'd check in- it would be a shame to watch such a sexy girl walk away."

With that and a characteristic half wave, he made his exit.

Gritting his teeth, Sasuke banged open the folder and began reading through some of the contracts. He hadn't intended on losing his cool like that, but he could no longer deny the effect that woman had on him.

Naruto was right; she _did_ have him all fucked up.

And he couldn't afford to have his enemies see him acting like a lovesick teenage boy.

But what were his alternatives?

He couldn't pass her on. His skin was crawling at just the thought of another man putting his hands on what was his. And he couldn't continue to carry on this way, making so many careless mistakes.

Something definitely had to be done.

* * *

Sakura didn't speak to him again for three days.

Sasuke slept downstairs on the couch, came home late and left home early.

By the second day, she missed him so much it felt like an ache in her soul. But, she would be damned if she was the one to break and make contact first. So she went about her life as usual, studying, running out for groceries and keeping herself occupied.

But when the third night came around, and Sasuke had still not apologized she was at her wits end.

Sure, she was upset that their relationship had started out in such a way, but that was in the past and apart from not being kept in the loop there was nothing else she could hold him accountable for. And as far as Karin working for him as a secretary, what did she want him to do? Fire the girl?

It just wasn't in her to ask that of him.

After all, she'd feel terrible depriving someone of their livelihood, and she didn't want to force Sasuke into taking action.

So just what were they fighting for?

It was all very silly and childish.

Besides, with her medical exam only two days away, she needed his support to mentally prepare herself.

And that was why Sasuke, coming home at a quarter after eleven that night, walked in to find his girlfriend dressed in silly polka-dot pajamas, sitting cross-legged before the coffee table in the living room. Textbooks were scattered all around, and there was a pencil in her hair. She looked for all the world like an eighteen-year-old cram school student.

"Welcome home."

It was the first thing she had said to him in days.

Emerald green eyes watched as he pulled off his windbreaker and tossed it on the back of the armchair beside her. He looked tired, and paler than usual.

Without saying a word, he sank down onto the armchair, resting his elbows against his knees, fingers laced together.

"Are we still doing this 'ignore each other' thing?" Sakura asked drily. "Because I've had enough."

"Aa." He exhaled, running a hand through his shock of spiky black hair.

She could tell he was still annoyed with her, and had a feeling it had to do with the whole ''why-are-you-flirting-with-Naruto" thing. So, smiling coyly, she got to her feet and sashayed over to him. Taking the pencil out of her hair, allowing it to cascade down her back in rivulets of pale pink locks, she placed one hand on her hip, and glanced down at him in what she hoped was a seductive manner: "Still won't talk to me?"

He was silent, but she could see in the way that his shoulders stiffened that he was not as disinterested as it would appear.

Perhaps he needed more convincing.

So she did what any girl would do, and began unbuttoning the blouse of her pajamas, keeping her eyes focused on his.

Sakura had never stripped herself for him before, but she needed a reaction. While confident in her abilities to please her man, she wasn't too sure about the sex kitten role she had just adopted and wondered what she would do if he laughed in her face.

But Sasuke wasn't laughing.

Dark, hooded eyes were focused on her fingers, mesmerized, as they revealed inch after inch of alabaster skin.

Tilting her head to one side, she finally pulled her top off, standing before him in just her lace bra.

He was enjoying this.

A lot.

Before she could make another move though, large, warm hands had circled around her waist, pulling her into him until she was straddling his lap.

"That's not fair," his voice was gruff, his head bent so that his forehead was pressing against her collarbone. "You're fighting dirty."

Sakura giggled, throwing her arms around the strong column of his neck. "I needed to get your attention."

His looked up, and he smirked: "So you decided showing me your boobs was the best way?"

"It worked didn't it?" She shot back, smiling.

His only response was a hard, open-mouthed kiss. His hands were buried in her hair, holding her in place, and Sakura melted into him, sighing with contentment.

_Yes, yes, yes!_

Her whole body was tingling as his mouth ravaged hers. Nobody could kiss like he could. Her world was spinning headily and she delighted in the loss of control. He tasted of mint toothpaste and faintly of tobacco, and she wondered, in a dim corner of her mind, if he had been smoking again. When he pulled away, they were both breathless and flushed.

Beneath her, she could feel just how much Sasuke had relished their contact, and turned red: "Umm, Sasuke-kun..."

He was preoccupied, trailing little butterfly kisses down her naked throat. Her breasts were practically squashed against him as he continued his onslaught, iron strong arms holding her little body captive.

"Sasuke-kun," she tried again, squirming to get free. "Please."

Her squirming didn't help matters, and when he shifted, her eyes widened and nearly fluttered close at how good it felt.

"Stop." Sakura pressed her hands against the defined muscles of his chest. "I can't."

Sasuke raised his head at last. She blushed again, explaining: "I'm on my period."

She knew she was wrong. She shouldn't have entertained all of this, knowing they couldn't take it anywhere...but it had been _three whole days_.

She'd missed him.

The look of disappoint on Sasuke's face was so comical, that she couldn't help but laugh: "I'm sorry. I'm _so_ sorry!" She kissed the bridge of his nose. "I'll make it up to you soon. I promise."

"You'd better move," he motioned towards their lower halves, and Sakura, mumbling another apology scrambled off his lap.

Unable to bare the creation of too more distance, she sat on the armrest of his chair, legs crossed. "Are you still mad at me?"

"What for?"

"Remember, you thought I was flirting with Naruto?"

"_Tch_, were you trying to get me to kill the guy?"

"No." Sakura pouted. "I think he's wonderful. So please don't kill him."

"I just might if you make eyes at him in front of me again."

Sakura pinched his shoulder, playfully. "Stop. You don't mean that."

He smirked.

They sat like that for a moment, each enjoying the company of the other.

Then Sakura reached down, lacing her hands with his much larger ones.

"Sasuke-kun?" Her tone was serious now.

"Aa."

"I'm...afraid, you know."

He turned to look at her then. Sasuke wasn't the kind of guy who ever got sentimental and he didn't have a romantic bone in his body, but he would do anything in the world to protective those whom he cared about.

"Afraid?" He repeated. "Of what?"

"Of you," she told him, simply. "I don't want to get my heart broken. I don't want to get hurt."

Taking their entwined hands, he turned them over and kissed the back of her palm. Finally, he said: "Don't be afraid. I adore you."

He wasn't one for compliments, or emotional words.

So she knew he meant every word he said, and it was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

"I know I've made you uncomfortable," she gestured at his lap. "But will you hold me? I just want to be held."

"Aa."

They spent the rest of the evening, spread out on the sofa in front of the television. He kept one arm around her as she lay, curled up against his side, reading while he flipped through channels.

They weren't perfect.

Their situation wasn't ideal.

But they would make it work.

Sakura was sure of it.

**(A/N: I'm so unhappy with this chapter, I almost didn't post it. I had four different versions written out, and this is a combination of my favorite parts of all four. Did it read well? What are your thoughts? Do you still feel like there is a three way love triangle brewing? More importantly, in Sakura's shoes what would you do? So many questions that need answering. I want to hear from you guys. Bye for now.)**


	6. Chapter 6

At six-forty the following morning the executive department of the IANSAD office was empty except for a tall, slim-built redhead. Dressed in a black pencil skirt with a tucked in rose petal silk blouse and killer heels, the young woman was hard at work behind a computer screen.

The soft _tap-tap_ of her keyboard was the only sound in the space around her, as she shuffled through a pile of papers, long, manicured hands making notes on a neatly filled agenda.

Chewing on her plump lower lip, the girl sat back, brows furrowing over wide crimson tinged eyes.

Today was the day.

She had been off on vacation for a week, and being back in the office was a little unsettling.

From what she had heard through the grapevine: the announcement had been made.

He knew.

The very thought of what he would say to her, how he would _look_, was the cause of anxiety so strong it was nauseating.

Over the years, she had been called many things, but nobody had ever questioned her loyalty.

Except now.

Tears started to her eyes as the realization of what she had done washed over her anew. She wasn't a crier. From a young age, her foster parents had done their best to beat emotions out of her until she was always calm, always composed. In the face of adversity, she had been taught to hold her head high and remember her station in life.

But all the training and endless hours of schooling on decorum crumbled and fell apart, the day she had first met _him_.

He was, and continued to be, the one positive figure in her life.

The only man who had ever lent her his aid, without expecting anything in return.

She could still remember the day he walked into their classroom in Osaka, a new transfer student from Kyoto, his handsome face too serious to belong to a twelve-year old.

He had needed no introductions. Everyone knew who he was.

And her? A tall, gangly kid with bad acne- nobody had ever paid her any mind.

She was bullied for years and never considered fighting back until he walked in on her, on the rooftop of the school building, being shoved around by a rowdy group of girls. The crowd cleared, and the noise died down, and then he was standing above her, hands shoved in his pockets.

"Get up."

She had managed to scramble up onto her feet, and her thudding heart all but faltered when he tilted his head to the side, smirked, and then sauntered off.

And that was it.

She was infatuated, bordering on the point of obsession. After that day, Uchiha Sasuke became her everything.

So how was it that she was now in this predicament?

It hurt her to know that his sudden and unexplained decision to end their three-year relationship and subsequent engagement had been fueled by another woman entering the picture. Karin had been convinced for some time that there had been someone else, but Sasuke was so careful and discreet that she didn't have any evidence.

No text messages, no midnight phone calls, no lipstick on the collar of his shirt.

There were no telltale signs of cheating.

The only thing she had to go on was her instincts, and her gut was screaming that he was disinterested and bored. They stopped sleeping together and he would stay out late with his unruly group of friends- Naruto, Suigetsu, Jugo, Shikamaru and other unsavory characters- with no clarification as to where he had been.

But now she knew what had caused it all.

_Haruno Sakura._

Even her name was disgustingly pretty.

Karin had done her research: she knew Sakura was an aspiring doctor, attending the illustrious University of Tokyo, a green-eyed pale haired stunner with a bright and bubbly persona. She also knew that Sasuke had moved heaven and earth to keep the girl a secret for as long as possible.

The worst part of it all was that the two were now living together.

She could no longer make herself believe that this unlikely relationship would fizzle out.

If anything, Sasuke was growing more attached by the day.

So she had done the only thing she could think of to get his attention. She had agreed to this insane idea her foster parents and his relatives had devised of marrying her off to Sasuke's intimidating older brother.

But had her plan succeeded?

Karin had thought so at first but in the cold light of reality, it was implausible to believe that he would care.

Sasuke had moved on. This _woman_, whoever she was, was now living with him. Her sources told her that he was doing all kinds of uncharacteristic things- from driving half way across town to meet her, to leaving work early to take her out to dinner. He was, from what she had been told, a reformed man.

Just what, Karin wondered to herself, was this girl doing that was so different from every other woman who had been in his life?

"I thought I'd find you here."

Her thoughts were disrupted by a familiar, guttural voice.

Karin turned to see Suigetsu Hōzuki lumbering through the department towards her cubicle, situated by the frosted glass partition that separated the executive department from the rest of the five-story building. Her jaws clenched as he approached, and she tried to swallow her irritation as he called out: "Came in early to find the boss, huh?"

"What do you care if I did?"

"I don't." He stood before her, mischievous eyes glimmering under the florescent lights.

By all accounts, Suigetsu was a good-looking man. Lean built and of medium build, he had a preference towards outrageous hair and now wore his dyed straight with light blue ends. He equally enjoyed experimenting with his clothing, foregoing business casual for leather pants, laced up combat boots and a loose fit white t-shirt.

Karin disliked everything about him, from all the rings he wore to the tattoos that ran up and down his pale arms.

The guy was a weirdo. She wasn't too sure where Sasuke had picked him up, but what she did know was that he was trouble. His exact role at the company had never been outlined and Sasuke made sure it stayed that way. From his Hiroshima accent, colourful vocabulary and disgusting mannerisms, she could tell that he had grown up around a rough crowd- probably _yakuza_- and behaved with little to no respect for anyone besides Sasuke.

"You shouldn't have bothered coming back to work."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." He chuckled softly, folding his arms across his chest. "He doesn't give a shit about you, y'know?"

Karin rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Right. Because he's told you _that_."

"He doesn't have to. I can just tell."

"Why do you care so much?" Karin demanded, her cheeks flushing.

"I don't." He laughed again. "It's just so entertaining to watch this little melodrama come to an end."

"Fuck you."

"Hmm, I don't think so." He tapped her chin. "Girls like you, are just not my type."

Karin jumped to her feet, and shoved at him. "Don't touch me!"

Suigetsu was dangerous; from one moment to the next, she couldn't predict what he would do. And the second after she lost her cool, she regretted her hastiness. The humorous light in his eye was extinguished, and he took an alarming step in her direction. She couldn't help but notice the way his hands had rolled into fists by his side.

It happened faster than she could react. One minute he was standing an arm's length away, and the next he had sprung into action, his large hands wrapping around her neck until she could no longer breath.

"Don't…"

He applied more pressure.

"…Fuck"

She was sure she would choke.

"…With"

She began grabbing at his hands, trying to pry him off.

"...Me."

And then, just when she thought she would pass out before he would ever let go, a dangerously calm voice drawled: "Suigetsu. Enough."

Sasuke.

Just like that, she was released. Karin collapsed back into her seat, relief flooding her whole being, coughing in her struggle to regulate her breathing patterns.

He was standing at the other end of the room, a sheaf of papers under one arm and his car keys and a ridiculous plastic lunch box in the other. He was dressed casually in dark jeans, a polo shirt and navy blue blazer. Behind him stood Naruto, his warm and approachable associate, who, in contrast, was dressed in a fitted grey suit. Both men looked unimpressed by the scene unfolding before them.

For a moment, Suigetsu stood there, staring down at her with clenched teeth.

Was he trying to make a point?

"You're lucky," he whispered with a derisive snort, before turning and storming out.

"I don't know what his problem is," Naruto called, with a low whistle of surprise.

Karin swallowed, heart still pounding, and watched as Naruto followed after his friend into their adjoining offices.

Guess that meant she wouldn't be having her tete-a-tete with either of them anytime soon.

She was wrong.

The first group of employees had just begun to arrive, when Sasuke opened his office door and nodded in her direction. Karin wasn't sure if this would be their big conversation, or if he just wanted an update on his morning schedule.

It turned out to be neither.

"Sit down." His mood seemed placid, even indifferent as she took a seat on the mesh back chair before his desk. She watched, her nerves shot to hell, as he pulled off his blazer and tossed it over his own chair. Then, still standing, he nodded at the sheaf of papers between them: "Know what that is?"

She shook her head.

"Your resignation."

There was a note of finality in his voice.

Karin's eyes widened, in surprise: "_What_?"

"You will leave this office, once this conversation is over, and clear out your cubicle. I will announce your departure to the team. I will say you received an offer at a different company, so that there's no scandal."

She stared up at him.

Did she even know this man anymore?

He was so cold, so distant from her. There was no familiarity in his gaze, no hint of the person she had fallen in love with. Was this really Sasuke?

Could he be so ruthless?

"Why?" She demanded, choking back emotion. "What the hell is this about, Sasuke? I've done a damned good job, in all the years that I've worked here. I've suffered through…" hot tears were now openly rolling down her flushed cheeks, "all kinds of abuse from you, and from your _horrible_ friends. I don't know what kind of man would stand by- and watch- an, an…animal, like that attack a woman!"

He said nothing.

"So you won't even give me a response? If this is about your brother- I can explain. I can explain everything!" Almost as a reflex, she had gotten to her feet and was at his side, gripping the sleeves of his shirt with sweaty palms. "It wasn't my idea. I just wanted to know that you still cared what I did with myself."

Her tearful gaze met his unfathomable charcoal black eyes. "And oh Sasuke-kun, I can see now that you do." She was smiling through her tears: "You do love me. You _do_. Otherwise why all of this?" She reached up, her shaky hands combing through the shorter hairs on the back of his neck. "We can change everything. I know what your goals are- I…I can _help_ you. Can't you see that?"

She was intoxicated by his closeness; by the familiar scent of him- soap and water, and something else that was quintessentially Sasuke.

It had been so long since she was last this close, she had almost forgotten what it was like.

His electrifying energy was radiating through her fingertips and into her body, making the pit of her stomach clench with longing.

Couldn't he see how perfect they were for each other?

Her lashes fluttered, and then closed as she leaned up on tiptoes. Any moment now, she would feel his mouth against hers, and feel the delicious rush of adrenaline as her being surrender to his.

Any...moment...now...

Warm hands circled around her wrists, gently pulling her away.

Karin began crying in earnest at that point.

It felt as though her spirit was being torn out of her body.

He hated her.

He hated her, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Thank you, Karin." His words were meant to be kind, but there was a slight inflection of menace in his tone. "But I no longer have a use for you."

And then, all too soon he was stepping away.

This can't be it, she thought, panicked, as he began sorting through her files. His dark head bent and he frowned over something before finally reaching down for his ballpoint pen, and signing a document of some sort.

"There'll be a taxi waiting for you outside."

The door behind them opened, and Naruto poked his head in: "All done here?"

"Yes." Sasuke responded, coolly.

She knew she was pitiful, and she couldn't bear to lose any more face. Steeling herself, Karin grabbed a few tissues from the box Naruto thoughtfully offered and then, licking her dry lips nodded. "I guess…there's no more to be said."

_So this_, she thought to herself as the blonde showed her out,_ is how the story ends._

All around, she could feel the eyes of her colleagues burning into her back. She knew what they were thinking. They felt sorry for her. Everyone knew what her feelings were, and they had all been aware of how Sasuke had slighted her. And now, to be dismissed, it was more than she could take.

It didn't matter what he said.

Everyone would know she had been fired.

The mascara running down her cheeks would be proof of that.

He had made her a laughingstock.

How could she ever hold her head up in this town again?

She would run away. Run away from it all and move to a remote continent. Someplace where nobody knew her name, and nobody had ever heard of Uchiha Sasuke.

But first, he would pay for what he had done to her. She wouldn't leave until he suffered through the same amount of humiliation she had.

And that's when she remembered the plastic lunchbox; the silent third party during her degrading interview.

Haruno Sakura.

It was time to play her trump card.

**(IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey everyone. I hope you have enjoyed reading this story up to this point. However, I do have a quick update to make. I am still working on my other story on this site (Love is Wicked)- shameless plug, I know-, and would like to get the ball rolling on that one as I have gotten a lot of emails asking for an update. So, I am considering putting this one on a short hiatus while I work on the other. I haven't decided just yet, but if a few weeks go by without an update then I'll feel better knowing that I have explained myself. Either way, happy reading!)**


	7. Chapter 7

Hard thumping music rang through the dimly lit mini circular auditorium, with flashing strobe lights illuminating the stage at the center of it all where two, stunning girls were slipping and sliding down metal poles in next to nothing. The girls continued gyrating to the beat, as their fellow colleagues passed out drinks and flirted with the groups of weary businessmen who had come to be entertained.

It was a typical night at _Seventh Heaven_, and Sasuke was getting restless.

Though they beckoned to him, pouting and touching themselves, he really had no interest in any of the girls. He could appreciate the value of a nice ass and a great rack as much as the next man, but he couldn't afford to relax in this setting.

Not with a nine millimetre revolver tucked in his pants, and not when there was work to be done.

Besides, the rest of his entourage seemed to be occupied.

At the table beside him, Naruto was more than half-drunk with a naked girl bouncing around on his lap in time with the music and Suigetsu had disappeared half an hour ago with the first pretty young thing that had caught his attention.

Che, he would have been better off coming here alone.

At least he could keep his wits about him.

Lifting his glass shot glass, Sasuke downed the rest of his drink.

As far as he was concerned, this night couldn't end soon enough.

He had spent most of the day at the office, and his plans for the evening hadn't initially involved twiddling his thumbs at a strip club.

But that's where Naruto had set up the appointment- two birds, one stone (his words)- and there hadn't been enough time to reschedule.

And now of course, they were kept waiting.

And waiting.

And the truth was, Sasuke _really_ wasn't a patient kind of guy.

"So," a soft voice purred in his ear. "What's your story?"

Dark eyes lifted to meet warm brown ones. The woman beside him wore a transparent dress over a matching set of red lingerie. The outfit left little to the imagination, but the woman herself was passable. In another place, at another time, he would have been more than happy to oblige her, but things were different now.

"I don't have a story," he muttered, flagging down a waitress for a refill.

"Hmm," the woman breathed, leaning a little closer, "somehow I doubt that." A single manicured finger traced patterns across his broad shoulders and down his defined arm to rest on his knee. "A guy like you always has a story. But whatever it is, I don't much care. I just want to show you a good time."

The temptation was there.

As aloof as he was, he had never been one for celibacy, and the buxom woman draped on his arm now was clearly up for anything.

"Don't bother with him," Naruto called, momentarily distracted despite the stripper shaking her ass in his face. "He's too busy playing house and bringing packed lunches to work to be be much fun nowadays."

"Isn't that sweet," the woman responded, her eyes widening in surprise. "I didn't take you for the domestic type."

"I'm not,'' Sasuke responded, irritated to have to disclose anything about himself to a stranger.

"She must be beautiful." There was a pause and then the woman giggled. "But you can't be that happy if you're here on a Saturday night. Would you like a dance?"

"No," came the curt response.

"See?" Naruto called, sniggering. "He's whipped."

Shooting his friend a warning look, Sasuke reached into his pocket and pulled out some change. Dropping the money on the table, he stood up. "I'm going out for a smoke."

"He's like that with everyone," he heard Naruto explain, as he sauntered off. "Just can't be pleased."

Like hell.

Stepping out onto the dark, dingy alleyway behind the club, Sasuke dug into the back pocket of his pants for his pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

It was colder out than usual, and in the distance, he could hear the beeping of cars in traffic and the laughter of a ruckusous group of teenagers as they crossed the street. Placing the cigarette between his lips, he bent his head and after a few false starts got the end to light up, burning bright orange in the late evening gloom. Lowering his lashes, Sasuke took a deep breath, folded his arms, and exhaled without pulling the cigarette away.

He wasn't much of a smoker...but he needed something tonight.

Something to keep him occupied.

Usually, _she_ was able to do that for him.

Leaning his head back, Sasuke gazed up at the heavens above him, covered with low hanging clouds.

It looked like rain.

And if that rain was accompanied with thunder and lightening, she would cower in bed until he got home.

Like a kid.

Smirking to himself, Sasuke bit his cigarette between his teeth, and fished for his cell phone.

Three missed calls, and one text message.

Two from her, and one from Orochimaru.

The text message was from Suigetsu. They were waiting for him in the back. It looked like the meeting had just started.

A small part of him thought about calling Sakura back first. The meeting could stretch out into the night, and she would worry about him.

But he decided against it.

Whatever Naruto believed, he wouldn't dance to anyone else's fiddle. He made his own hours, and wouldn't comprimise his goals for anyone- not even her. As it was, he had already made some rash decisions, but he wouldn't be making any more.

Boundaries needed to be set; and he was the one who needed to set them.

Sakura. She didn't see him.

Not the real him.

She believed in fairy tales, and romance. She thought he could give her that.

She thought he was safe.

Someone she could depend on, and turn to.

But he was none of those things. He knew she shouldn't trust him. He couldn't be what she wanted.

Not now.

Not ever.

And the sooner he created some space, the less hurt she would be.

In the end, it was for the best.

Tossing out the rest of his cigarette, Sasuke turned and let himself back into the club, aware of what he had to do and yet hating himself for it.

He never did go home that night.

And part of him wondered just what the gnawing sensation at the pit of his stomach was...

* * *

Sakura was worried sick.

She'd spent most of the previous evening waiting up for Sasuke, but he hadn't come home or answered any of her calls.

Her medical exam was less than twenty-four hours away, and somehow she couldn't find it in her to focus on anything.

Worry grew into irritating when around eight o'clock the following morning, she stepped out of the shower to find him sitting on the edge of their bed, dressed in yesterday's clothes. To her chagrin, he took one look at the thunderous expression on her face, and began chuckling.

"Where were you?" She demanded, folding her arms across her chest. "Why didn't you answer any of my calls?"

"I was working," he told her, dark eyes brimming with amusement and something else. "Like usual."

"_So_? Didn't you think to let me know you wouldn't be coming back?"

"I should have called," he agreed, and then shrugged as though it didn't matter one way or the other.

Too hurt by his nonchalant attitude to say much else, Sakura flounced back into the bathroom to blow-dry her hair. He followed her. But instead of taking her in his arms like she half expected him to do, he chose to strip off his clothes, turn on the shower jet, and step under the heated spray. She watched, a little fascinated (but mostly annoyed), as he ran his hands through his hair, slicking it all back, before reaching for a bar of soap.

Ordinarily, any opportunity to admire his built physique was never waisted on her, but today she refused to feed his ego.

Ignoring the way the water droplets gathered across his defined chest and arms, only to slip down muscled back, Sakura collected her hot iron and hightailed it out of there. He joined her half an hour later in the kitchen, where she sat, pouring over her books, the early morning sunshine reflecting off her light coloured hair.

She had fully intended on ignoring him.

But the blush that settled across her cheeks was a dead giveaway the moment she noticed he had thrown on a pair of jeans and nothing else.

How was it that one man could have so much sex appeal?

Annoyed with him and herself for getting distracted, Sakura pulled her textbook closer and made a big show out of turning the pages and making notes.

She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of another look.

She wouldn't.

Absolutely not.

Five minutes passed.

Just _what_ was he doing?

Sasuke couldn't cook for the life of him, but she could hear the clanging of pots and pans and -

Peaking up at him through lowered lashes, Sakura couldn't help but smile.

He was attempting to make toast...but couldn't find any in the fridge, meanwhile the griddle he had on the electric stove top was smoking.

Should she help him? No, he deserved to suffer a little longer.

"Sakura."

No response.

"Sa-ku-ra."

Still no response.

"_Sakura_." There was now a faint note of panic in his usually stoic voice.

A moment later he swore, and she heard a pan come crashing to the ground. Jumping out of her seat, Sakura decided to finally come to his rescue. Somehow, he had managed to drop the griddle and now there was oil and sliced bread all over the floor. Giving him a look that she hoped said "don't-ever-attempt-to-cook-for-yourself-ever-again-in-life" she managed to mop down the floor, and place the bread in the toaster (where it belonged) and get some scrambled eggs going.

Within a few minutes flat, she had a decent enough breakfast on the table before him.

Feeling confident enough to get himself a glass of orange juice, Sasuke returned to sit across from her and began eating.

For a while Sakura made a valiant attempt to keep studying, but gave up on it when her mind started to wander. She couldn't help thinking about the night before, and the time that she had spent anxiously waiting up for him. She was familiar enough with his work patterns to know that Sasuke, a true perfectionist, had irregular working hours and remembered him disappearing on her for days during their first few months together.

Over time, she had learned to stop taking it personally but as they got more serious Sasuke had (in his own way) made an effort to keep her in the loop.

The last thing Sakura wanted was to nag him, but it wasn't fair for him to treat her badly either...

So where was the middle ground?

It was disappointing to think that since she had moved in, they had done nothing but argue.

He was almost done eating when she began packing her books up, and pulling her laptop shut. For a moment she considered leaving without speaking to him, but decided she didn't need to stoop down to his level: "I'm going to the library."

He didn't try to stop her.

By the time Sakura had got her things together, and stepped out of the apartment into the wintry morning light she was in a state of disbelief. It wasn't like him to be so indifferent. Usually when she was upset with him, he would do whatever it took to get back in her good books. And when they made up the day before, she had thought that everything was good between them again.

Was she wrong?

"You're being too nice to him." That was Ino's prognosis.

The girls were sitting in a back room at the library at university, waiting for the other members of their study group to get there.

"Too nice?" Sakura repeated. "Did you not hear me when I said that since living with him, we have been in not one but two fights? And it hasn't even been a week."

"That's still because you're being too nice." Ino flipped her hair back. "He knows he's got your under his spell, and that you're not going anywhere. I'm not suggesting you break up with him or anything, but you need to stop being the one to make the first move towards reconciling every time you two argue."

"Oh please. Hell would have to freeze over before he would voluntarily work through an issue."

"Then I suggest you do whatever's needed to get hell to freeze over. Starting with," Ino shot her a mischievous look, "not going home tonight."

"No way."

"C'mon. After what he did to you, he deserves it. I'm not saying you should go MIA on him. I'm just saying you need to put your foot down."

"If I did that to him, all he'd do is shut down even further."

"But it would teach him a lesson, right?"

They were still arguing over the pros and cons of the matter, when a petite girl in black tights and an off-the-shoulder canary yellow sweatshirt and boots walked in. Her thick pin straight black hair had been brushed away from her face, and tied up into the same half ponytail style she'd been wearing since high school. Catching sight of her, Ino called out: "Perfect! Hinata. Can you please tell forehead here, that absence makes the heart grow fonder?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, and smiled at her friend. "You're finally here. Ino's about to talk my ear off. How are you?"

"Good." Hinata dropped her purse on the white counter top of the table before them. "I'm sorry. Have you guys been waiting long? I tried to get away sooner, but my grandmother had people over so it was impossible."

"Poor thing," Ino sympathized, patting her friend on the back. "What boring ambassador did you get stuck with for brunch this time around?"

Like Sasuke, Hinata was from a very old, very important family. Except her clan was from Tokyo, and weren't on very good terms with the Uchiha's. From what Sakura was able to deduce, the hostility was based on competing bussinesses and politics. He had never given her too many details but Sasuke was distrustful of the mild mannered girl, and for her part Hinata found him intimidating.

Sakura didn't blame her.

Sasuke hadn't done much beyond glare into the distance the first time they met. Sakura suspected that part of that had to do with a story Ino had told him about how Hyuuga Neji (Hinata's cousin), had given Sakura her first kiss in middle school.

"No ambassadors," Hinata was saying. "But there's a garden party every spring, and it's held at the imperial palace, and grandmother wanted me to attend with Neji-kun when he gets back. She's too sick to go herself, so we were just going over the details."

There was a moment of complete silence.

"Neji?" Ino said at last. "As in Hyuuga Neji?"

"Yes." Hinata flushed, and Sakura got the feeling she hadn't intended on going into too much detail. "He's coming home from Singapore next week. Grandmother's really happy about that."

"For good?" Sakura asked, astounded.

"Yeah."

"What about his girlfriend, that girl- what was her name?"

"Ten-ten," Hinata supplied. "Well, Neji-kun didn't really say...but I think they broke up. He hasn't mentioned her."

"Oh wow. They were together for _years_ though."

The girls fell silent.

"Well," Ino said with a sigh, "one thing's for sure. If you go to any more events by yourself we can no longer be friends. You need to bring a date."

"I agree," Sakura conceded. "But since you clam up around guys, Ino and I should hook you up with someone."

"I'll see if Shikamaru has any cute friends," Ino promised, and then noticing Sakura's pointed look, she had the decency to blush: "_What_?!"

"Since when," Sakura questioned sweetly, "are you on speaking terms with Shikamaru? Last we heard he was the scum of the earth, and a cheating bastard no less."

"We made up...last week."

"So he didn't cheat?"

"No."

"Are you guys back together then?"

"Yes."

"I'm glad," Hinata said, beaming at her friend. "You guys are good together."

For a little while longer, the girls sat discussing Ino's reconciliation with her estranged boyfriend, and then they began studying. As they sat there, going over notes and preparing for the exam that they each believed would change their lives, none of them could predict the events that would then follow.

Because their lives would change.

But it had nothing at all to do with academics.

**(A/N: I WANT TO SAY I'M BACK. BUT I'M NOT SURE. ENJOY THE CHAPTER, AND THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS GUYS.)**


	8. Chapter 8

The next twenty-four hours passed in a whirlwind of activity for Sakura.

Instead of taking Ino's advice, after they were done studying she went home. Sasuke wasn't speaking to her, and he left shortly after she got back. She had no idea what his issue with her was, but she refused to play his mind games.

Bright and early the following morning, she slipped out of the house in a hurry with just enough time to grab a quick breakfast at the convenience store around the corner, before catching a crowded train to the exam hall. She met Ino, Hinata and a few other friends at the doors and they all wished each other luck before finding their seats in the large auditorium.

_Kokushi_, or the National Medical Licensing Board Exam, was the final chapter of her six years as a university student. Sakura's heart was drumming loudly in her ears, palms sweating as she worked her way through each question. She knew that she would be one step closer to her dream of becoming the best doctor her country had ever seen, should she pass and achieve the status of being amongst the highest scoring 1% of students across Japan.

It was only then that she would be able to officially add the title of "Dr." to her name.

The idea of it all was both nerve wracking, and emotional.

She hadn't come from a very rich family, and up until this point her parents had done everything in their power to ensure her success. Unlike many of her counterparts, between student loans and financial support from her mother and father, she could sit in this hall with all these people and chase her dreams.

Very soon, she would make her parents proud.

And Sasuke.

The truth was, she wanted him to be proud of her too.

He had so many of his own accomplishments, and was recognized as a genius, following in the footsteps of his exceptional older brother. This was her moment to prove that she deserved to walk beside him; that she too could bring something to the table.

Sakura knew that she had a long road to travel ahead of her should she pass: there would be a two-year training program at a hospital, after which she would have to chose her specialization. Five years after that, she would be taking the National Specialist Medical Exam, after which she could finally branch out into private practice like she wanted.

With things as they were now, she didn't know if their rocky relationship could handle the strain of the crazy hospital hours she would have to work.

A little after eleven o'clock, Sakura walked out of the hall, dazed and emotionally drained. She had done her best. The questions had been challenging, but she was confident she had done well. She was one of the last students to leave, and was glad of it, because the moment she stepped out into the chilly mid-morning sunshine, tears began rolling down her cheeks.

It was stupid to cry.

She knew she had nothing to cry about except…it was over.

There would be no more late nights, no more rushing to lectures, no more afternoons at the library with friends- her six gruelling years as a university student had come to an end.

In the spring, she would be able to celebrate graduation with everyone, and start a new chapter in her life.

But this was the real end of it all.

As she walked through the campus, drying her eyes with some tissue she had found in her purse, Sakura looked around. So many years of her life had passed here, with so many memories.

The most important one of all was when she had met him.

Fresh faced, an innocent eighteen year old, her world had been different then. Though they went to the same university, Sasuke was studying on another campus, and they should have never met.

But she had seen him speaking during orientation week, the cool, handsome upperclassman from Kyoto whom everyone looked up to, and fallen in love right away. She admired him for years from afar, but was always too intimidated to say anything until Shikamaru threw a couple's mixer with the intention of getting closer to Ino. Sakura hadn't wanted to go at first, but she was talked into it, and mentally prepared herself for lots of drinking games and aggressive come-ons from strangers.

Had things gone the way Shikamaru planned, she would have been paired up with Naruto, a friend of his who studied at the rival Kieo University. However, Naruto had a family emergency and managed to convince Sasuke to fill in for him.

It wouldn't be until years later that Sakura would meet the infamous Naruto from _that_ night, and she often wondered how things would have turned out had he not been forced to cancel.

To her, when Sasuke had shown up (late, of course) for the mixer event, disinterested and irritable at being obliged to fill in for his best friend, she had known it was kismet. She hadn't cared that he was still dressed in his cleats and uniform from football practice (where he had been unceremoniously summoned by the blonde), or that he barely spoke two words to her all evening.

She was deliriously happy to just have an opportunity to sit beside him, and finally- _finally_ be noticed.

Over the next two years, she found many other ways to get him to notice her.

The attraction between them slowly grew from one-sided interest, to something more mutual. He graduated from university soon after, but a few days before the ceremony, he had gotten her alone and shown her beyond the shadow of a doubt just how much he liked her.

They didn't start dating until Sakura was in her fifth year of medical school, largely because he was involved with building his own business, but they still maintained a very physical relationship- seeing each other when it was convenient.

Sakura couldn't say those years were easy. She was in love, and wanted things to be official between them. Naturally to now find out that he was engaged during that time, and with Karin had been upsetting. It was odd to think that while she was pining away in her dorm room, he was publicly with another woman.

But it had all worked out in the end.

He had chosen her.

And she couldn't imagine her life without him in it.

As she walked, Sakura took a moment to commit the sprawling campus to her memory. She could never forget any of the people she had met, the moments she had experienced, and the privilege it had been to do what she loved.

_If the future is half as lovely_, she thought, _then I can't wait for it all to begin_.

"Yo."

Sakura stopped in her tracks. She had unwittingly made her way to the main street that ran parallel to the front gates of the campus, and was so lost in thought that she had nearly walked directly past Sasuke. The hoodie of the red sweatshirt he wore was pulled over his head, and he had a tumbled leather jacket over that, so it took her a moment to be sure of what she was seeing.

"Sasuke-kun?"

He stood there looking at her for a moment, hand shoved into his pockets, clearly uncomfortable. And then said, gruffly: "Are you hungry?"

Was this his version of an apology?

She wanted to give him a piece of her mind, but causing a scene in public wasn't her style.

And she _was_ hungry.

"There's a new Chinese place around the corner. Do you want to go there?"

Nodding his acquiescence, Sasuke turned and lead the way. Falling into step beside him, Sakura tried to bite back the smile that threatened to steal across her face.

The man beside her wash't about big displays, so to have him show up to take her on a surprise lunch date was pretty major for them.

But she remembered Ino's words, and decided not to let him off the hook so easy.

Some of the snow from the night before had started to melt, and it was all Sakura could do to keep her footing through the wet, mushy residue as they walked. Sensing the difficulty she was having keeping up with his longer strides, Sasuke slowed down and reached for her hand, lacing it with his and drawing both into his pocket to keep them sheltered from the biting cold.

Sakura knew the action was an unconscious one on his part, but it made her a little weak in the knees.

Why couldn't he always be like this?

"Do you want to share a plate of dim sum?" They were seated in a private booth at the back of the crowded restaurant, studying the menu. The place was noisy, and filled with students from university, all euphoric to take a much needed break.

Sasuke seemed distracted, and she wondered what was really on his mind, as he responded, "Sure."

A harassed looking waitress stopped by, notebook in hand and asked them for their order. Sakura had a bad habit of picking into Sasuke's plate whenever they went out to eat, so she selected a few things for them to share.

"Anything to drink?"

"Water, please." Sakura confirmed, handing back the menus.

"What about for you, sir?" The waitress asked Sasuke, even though Sakura had clearly ordered for the both of them.

Typical.

Having women flirt with her boyfriend right in front of her was something Sakura was used to, but she really wasn't in the mood to be bothered today. Making an effort to not roll her eyes, Sakura leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Water is fine." He responded, in his usual colourless tone. Then, as though to signify the end of their exchange, he pulled his cell phone out of his coat pocket and began flipping through a few messages.

Taking the hint, the waitress smiled and promised to be right back with their food.

The minute she was gone, Sakura reached over and grabbed Sasuke's phone out of his hands. Placing it at the centre of the table, she shot him a serious look.

"We should talk."

"Aa."

Tucking a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, she decided to start things off: "I hate it when you disappear and I can't get in touch with you."

"I know."

"I was so worried the other night." She bit her lower lip, emerald green eyes fixed on his. "I tried reaching you everywhere but you wouldn't take any of my calls."

He was silent.

"What would you do if I did something like that to you?"

Sasuke paused, appearing to consider it for a moment. And then he responded, drily: "I don't suggest trying it and finding out."

"So if you wouldn't tolerate that from me, why should I accept it from you?"

"You shouldn't." He bowed his head, and she could no longer read his expression. "Is that what you want to hear?"

"Of course not. I just- don't make this my fault," she told him, realizing that the conversation was going in the wrong direction. "I'm trying to make this work, and you're not helping me."

There was a mocking, faintly sardonic expression in his face as he studied her. "Just how much lower do you expect me to sink?"

Sakura reeled back, as though he had hit her. "Excuse me?"

"You are...distracting." His words were carefully chosen, but that didn't make them less harsh.

Then, smirking at the confused expression on her face, he stretched his hand out and placed it gently on the crown of her head. "Don't make that expression. I got it. I'll call you next time I stay out late."

His eyes softened then, and she realized she didn't want to fight either.

Using her hands to support herself, Sakura leaned across the table to give him a chaste peck on the cheek, but he had other ideas. Grabbing hold of her wrist, he jolted her down further and pressed his mouth against hers in an electrifying kiss. When he pulled away, Sakura's ears were burning and they were both glad of the privacy the booth provided.

Before anything else could be said, the waitress returned with their food. She also brought over their drinks, and then, finding no other excuse to linger, turned and left.

"How long were you standing outside waiting for me?" She asked, shooting him a look over their plate of fried rice.

"Not long."

They both knew he was lying.

She could see it in the colour spreading up the back of his neck, and the rigid set of his shoulders.

He was uncomfortable with having her know how much he cared.

As adorable as his actions were, she couldn't help but wonder why he felt he had to be so guarded. Why did he keep trying to resist his feelings for her?

"Thank you," she said softly, "for coming here."

"Aa."

They were silent for a while, enjoying each other's presence and the food- which was surprisingly good. He didn't ask how her exam had been until later, as they left the restaurant. It had just started snowing again, and she was disappointed to find that he had left his car at work. Waiting together in the underground subway for the train back to Ginza was a little odd; Sasuke rarely took public transportation.

He was weird about public displays of affection, and would keep his hands to himself in some circumstances and not others.

Now was one of his "hands-off" moods.

They stood with about half a foot of distance between them, Sakura's hands clasped before her and Sasuke's shoved in the pockets of his dark pants.

As they waited, he told her he would be going back to the office for the day.

It was just past noon, and there were hardly any people on the train.

Sakura found them two seats closest to the doors, but instead of sitting beside her Sasuke chose to stand, grasping the overhead railing with one hand, so that he could sort through messages on his phone with the other. Sakura's stop came along first, but even as she got to her feet, she realized that she didn't want to be separated from him so soon.

She knew it was important for him work hard, and achieve his goals.

She knew he thought of her as a distraction- an impediment to his ultimate success.

And yet, she was weak enough to tug at the corner of his jacket, and make a request: "Don't go."

She expected to be rebuked, expected to get turned down.

He never bothered with doing things gently.

But as the words left her lips, and her emerald green eyes met his, she knew that he couldn't refuse her.

Whatever parts of him were battling, the part that wanted her had won.

She could see it in the set of his firm jawline, and read it in his smouldering dark eyes.

"How..."

They had barely gotten through the door of his apartment when he hoisted her up, legs wrapping around his waist.

"Do you..."

He was stripping her roughly now, and the elevator wasn't even shut yet...

"Expect me..."

The white top she wore was thrown after the olive green coat he had just discarded...

"To refuse..."

She was naked now except for her black lace bra and leggings...

"...when you ask me like _that_?"

He sounded angry; frustrated at himself for giving into her.

They didn't make it upstairs- in fact, they hardly made it out of the foyer and into the living room. Any trace of tenderness was gone as he shoved her down onto the couch, indifferent to her yelp of surprise at being manhandled, pulling his sweatshirt off over his head to reveal his pale, sculpted torso and defined arms. She didn't have very long to admire him for a moment later he bent down, crushing his mouth against hers in a searing kiss.

There was a violence in his actions that scared her, and yet she found herself responding to his burning touch as he lowered her onto the cold leather of the couch.

She slanted against his body, whimpering softly as he trailed kisses across her collarbone, his hands reaching up to free her hair from the messy bun she had pulled it into in her rush that morning. Her eyes fluttered shut, breathing growing shallow as his warm palms settled on her breasts, heat flooding through the flimsy material that covered them.

"_Oh_," she gasped, as he began cupping, kneading the supple flesh. Her mind was swirling in a myriad of sweeping thoughts as he continued his ministrations, her heart beat racing.

She wanted to question him- to question the tortured glint in his eye- but she was too far gone, her skin tingling as his hands glided down even further to slide under her tights, slipping past her cotton panties. She would have worn something sexier, if she had expected any of this- as it was, he didn't seem to care.

A glorious ache was beginning to build in her belly, flamed by the heavy body of the man above her.

He dipped his head down, licking her open mouth and kissing her again, this time softer and more pleasant. Sakura sighed into his mouth, even as his fingers worked on dragging the rest of her clothes off until she was naked below him. Then, while she was still distracted by his skillful kisses, arms thrown around his neck, face buried in the curve of his shoulder, he positioned himself between her thighs.

Her vision blurred and she lost herself to the feel of his warm skin brushing against hers, unaware of anything until she felt him thrust impatiently against the inside of her thigh. Dazed, she wondered when he had gotten his pants off and looked down to discover that he hadn't even bothered- he didn't seem to want to take his time with anything, least of all articles of clothing.

"Sasuke-kun-wait..", she reached for his belt, wanting to help, but he was faster. In record time, he was crouched above her in just a pair of navy blue boxer, hooded eyes focused on the woman beneath him, drinking in the sight of her flushed and aroused, pink lips swollen from kissing. He knew she wanted more- wanted whatever he had to offer- and would never turn him away, no matter how rough he was.

She trusted him whole-heartedly.

A calloused thumb ran across jaw, tracing the fine bones of her face.

Then, as though he were disgusted with himself, his dark head lowered, and he muttered: "You are...damned annoying."

Sakura knew she should be insulted, but the words felt like a caress.

He wasn't used to feeling so much, and she didn't blame him for being scared. She was scared too.

He made a move, as though to disentangle himself from her, but she gripped his shoulders. Then, before he could attempt to leave her, she reached down between them, touching his heated member through his boxers, eyes still fixed on his, watching as his breath hitched from one touch. Then her fingers disappeared down his waistband to grip the hot velvety length of him properly.

He froze.

Her hand slipped up and down, applying just enough pressure for him to feel it and thrust forward to meet her strokes. Cursing under his breath, Sasuke pressed his forehead against hers, their breath mingling as she continued working him. His breathing patterns had changed, letting her know that he would spill into her hands if she didn't stop soon. Sliding her hand out from under his boxers, Sakura jerked down on the material to shove them off.

Once they were both nude, Sasuke rose to his knees and jolted her up onto hers, thick tendrils of pale hair swaying across and then over her naked shoulders. Her body was pressed flush against his, and she could feel his arousal against her tummy. Tilting her head up, Sakura pressed little kisses from his ear, down the strong column of his neck, knowing any ideas he had of leaving were now utterly destroyed.

Sasuke's impatience was beginning to grow; he desperately wanted to be inside her, and yet he was interested to see just what would happen if he left it all up to the green-eyed girl in his arms. She was always so entertaining, even when she didn't mean to be. Unable to resist, he dipped his head down to claim her sweet lips once again in a hard kiss that was all tongue and teeth, but before he could lose himself any further he became aware of a distant ringing that was overcoming the sound of his own, dully beating heart.

"Sasuke-kun," she was whispering, her voice hoarse, "the door."

He considering ignoring everything; whoever it was could wait. But the ringing was incessant, and a part of him already knew who it was.

"Fuck."

Jumping onto his feet, Sasuke began tugging on his pants, running a frustrated hand through his thick black hair. The look of disappointment on Sakura's face was evident, as she slowly got to her feet, searching for her panties and the rest of her clothing. An uncomfortable gnawing sensation at the pit of his stomach urged him to reach for her, so he did, enveloping her cooling body into his arms.

"I'm sorry." The words were gruff and blunt, like his personality.

She didn't need to ask him what for.

Cupping her face with one hand, he pressed his forehead against hers: "Let's finish this later. Tonight."

She nodded her head, standing up on tip-toe to receive another kiss. This one gentle, an apology for his earlier actions. He pulled on her lower lip before drawing away, desire evident in his charcoal black eyes. Before allowing him to leave her side, Sakura lifted her hand and attempted to smooth back his hair. She didn't want anybody to guess at what they were doing. Reaching onto the couch, she handed him his t-shirt and sweatshirt, giggling when he leaned his head down to nip at her neck. "Enough. Go answer the door."

Then, before he could argue with her, she darted out of his embrace to take the stairs up to their bedroom.

A few moments later, she heard the rumble of his voice and Naruto's. She couldn't hear what they were saying, and wondered if Naruto remembered their plans to tour Kyoto the following day. When she came back down, this time dressed to receive company in a tank top and a pair of jeans, it was the first thing he said to her as they made their way out of the apartment.

"This asshole's jealous, so he'll be coming with us tomorrow."

"To Kyoto?" She questioned, eyebrows rising in surprise.

Sasuke grimaced, but didn't deny the change in plans as he drew his coat on.

"Don't worry," Naruto said, shooting her his trademark lopsided grin. "He'll be busy with his family most of the time, so I'll still be your guide."

Sakura returned his smile, but stopped short of saying anything positive when Sasuke shot her a look.

Really, could the man get any more possessive?

"I'll be home at nine," Sasuke called out to her, as they left. "And if I'm not then...I'll call."

In that moment, Sakura didn't think she could love him any more than she already did. As cold and unaffected as he wanted to be, her feelings were returned. And she was happy.

Catching the glowing look that was exchanged between his dark-haired best friend and Sakura, Naruto's eyebrows furrowed.

As much as he joked, he really did think his friend needed to get a grip.

It wasn't like him to be so out of control over a woman.

In fact, it was nothing short of reckless.

But, glancing over at the girl, he couldn't say that he didn't understand the infatuation.

She was beautiful.

And the adoring way she was looking at his friend, was impossible for any man to resist.

Still, something needed to be done, and it would probably fall to his lot to save them from their current predicament.

Before someone got hurt in the process.

**(A/N: This was my favourite chapter to write. Can't wait to post the next one. I hope you all enjoyed it. Don't forget to leave a review, and favourite this story! Also, thank you to everyone who has left me reviews for previous chapters. I really appreciate the support.)**


	9. Chapter 9

Things were not looking good.

Whatever he may have imagined going into it, pitching this idea to GI Tech wasn't foolproof. Standing before a room full of high-level executives at just after nine in the morning, in a tie that felt too tight and completely off his game, the presentation was going nowhere.

The objections were plentiful: this project was too expensive and too risky.

And nothing Naruto could say, usually an excellent inspirational speaker and the good-cop to Sasuke's bad cop, would convince these guys otherwise.

They had no interest in loaning them any money, or being part of this initiative.

Mr. Kimoa, the chief executive officer of GI Teach, had yet to say so explicitly, but Naruto had been doing this for long enough to recognize the telltale signs of disinterest and unresponsiveness. These guys were not buying what he was selling, and saw IANSAD as a new company led by two stubborn upstarts with a knack for getting it right.

Sasuke was sitting with his elbows perched on the countertop of the mahogany conference table, fingers laced before his face, eyes focused on the projections on the board behind his blonde counterpart.

Naruto could tell he was fuming.

This presentation had gone on for just under half an hour, and if things went any further south, he knew his friend would snap. He hadn't said a word this whole time, listening instead to the barrage of questions ranging from the ridiculous to the irrelevant.

Even Naruto- ever the optimist- could see that they had wasted their time here today.

GI Tech had no reason to see the big picture; as the largest telecommunications company in Tokyo, getting fifty percent of its' revenue from mobile and the rest from fixed telephone lines, their future was secured. Compared them, IANSAD was a small fish in a very, very big pond.

"Enough."

The moment he spoke, everyone's attention was on the dark-haired man at the back of the room.

It was then that Naruto knew this was officially a wrap.

Getting to his feet, the Uchiha heir reached down to button the blazer on his dark, fitted Tom Ford suit, the whiteness of his collared shirt contrasting starkly with his jet black hair. The atmosphere in the room shifted as he leaned forward, palms resting against the tabletop.

"We understand each other."

The foolhardiness of staring down a room filled with some of the most influential men in Japan seemed lost on him as he smirked: "The offer has been rescinded. IANSAD will now fund this project privately."

Then, with signature nonchalance, he turned and left the room without so much as a by-your-leave. Naruto, left standing stupidly as the room broke out in conversation, followed after him, red-faced with irritation and rage.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

They had forgone the elevator for the emergency exit and sixteen flights of stairs to the ground floor.

"Do you have any idea what kind of impression we just made?"

"I don't care."

Sasuke was unruffled, and it was really starting to piss him off.

"You can't just decide something like that! You know we can't afford to fund this shit-show on our own! That's why the hell we lined up this interview in the first place!"

"I am not prepared to grovel at their feet."

"You'll damn well do what we need to get this thing off the ground!"

Sasuke scowled. "Shut up, will you? You're turning into one of those guys."

"Do you mean responsible? Because it's a damn sight better than being an impulsive train wreck." Then, realizing he had been yelling at the top of his voice, Naruto stopped to rip off his tie and shove it in his pocket. "What a shitty waste of time. And now you've made that announcement, what do you expect we'll do? The board of directors will never approve of another crazy scheme, no matter how successful we've been thus far."

Sasuke scoffed: "Admit it. You're chickenshit."

Blue eyes widened, and then narrowed. "The fuck I am!"

"That's better." Clapping his friend on the shoulder, Sasuke turned and continued to take the steps down two at a time. "Do what you do best and stand behind me on this one, dobe. Those assholes don't like me very much, and will want to hear that I have your backing."

"It's a quarter of a billion dollars in start up costs, you better make this work, Uchiha."

"I have every intention of doing just that."

They stepped out of the building and into the early morning light; Sasuke's midnight black Maserati Quattroporte was parked out front, just behind Naruto's bright orange Buggatti Veyron.

Fast cars, fast girls, fast money- it was what they lived for.

"Beat me back to the office, and I'll buy lunch," Sasuke called over his shoulder.

"Heh. In that case, I hope you like ramen."

A few moments later, the narrow road that ran across the street from the glass and steel GI Tech building resounded with the rumbling of powerful engines as they pulled out of the lot.

Neither of them liked losing.

This would be fun.

* * *

Three hours before her flight, Sakura showed up to the JAL premium lounge in the departure section of Narita airport, passport and ticket in hand.

She had figured it would be best to get there in plenty of time- just in case she forgot anything, or if processing took longer than it should.

The e-ticket Sasuke had emailed her that morning had information on it for first-class, which she really should have expected.

But the boys themselves were no where to be found.

She had managed to reach Naruto's secretary before she jumped on a taxi bound for the airport, and the information she had received was that they were running late, and would meet her in the lounge. Sakura had already checked her baggage in, and now there wasn't much to do but find a place to get comfortable in this ultra-spacious, oasis of calm and tranquility.

Getting situated on a leather daybed, overlooking the sweeping paved runway, Sakura ordered a drink (pineapple juice, no ice), and sat down to wait.

A few moments later, a smiling hostess appeared who addressed her by name, before another presented her drink on a silver tray.

She didn't think she could ever get used to having people wait on her hand and foot, but it certainly was a great way to kick off her short holiday. The concierge at the front had advised her of the availability of slumber rooms -in case she wanted to take a quick nap before her flight- the onsite spa, and 80-foot bar serving unlimited drinks.

It was all a little overwhelming to say the least.

So Sakura had settled for sitting out in the open, legs tucked under her as she watched a soap opera on one of the many plasma screen TVs. It was there that Naruto found her, and it was all he could do not to smile at her wide-eyed wonder at everything around them.

Leaning up to return his hug, she asked: "Is this how you two _always_ travel?"

"Most of the time." He responded, "When we aren't flying private. Sorry about that by the way. Sasuke wanted to charter a flight, but we're down on staff and it wasn't arranged in time."

"Are you serious?" She responded, brows raised in surprise. "This is fancy enough as it is."

Attempting to look over his shoulder, she asked: "Where's Sasuke-kun?"

"He won't be coming." Then, as he saw the smile leave her eyes, he added, "He's tying a few things up, and will be catching a later flight today. Don't worry."

"Oh."

The truth was, he had hardly made it in time to catch this flight himself. Finding time off work was nearly impossible, and his secretary wasn't able to manage both his and Sasuke's schedule- which left a bunch more crap on their plates than usual. He was loathe to admit it, but perhaps Sasuke had been a little too hasty when he fired Karin.

One thing was for certain- she had been a damn good secretary.

"Thank you for being here." The girl was smiling up at him, and he tried not to lose himself in the endless green of her eyes.

Just what color were they?

He wouldn't call it a forrest green- more of an emerald, less of a jade.

Unlike most of the women in their circle, she seemed a lot more open and expressive. She was talking to him animatedly now about her morning, and how her mother had emailed her with a list of items she wanted purchased in Gion. Was he really okay with going sightseeing with her? Because Sasuke had already sworn up and down that he wouldn't be visiting any 'damned temples or shrines', or 'lurking around aimlessly for hours in shopping districts'.

Naruto assured her that she could depend on him.

And he meant it too.

As outgoing and friendly as he was, he wasn't in the habit of stretching out his neck for women; from his experience, none of them were worth it. But this girl was...disarming in her unschooled, affectionate ways.

In the dark wash, straight legged jeans she wore along with a loose fitting grey top, it was clear to see that she hadn't paid very much attention to her clothing. And yet, there was something about her that was captivating. Maybe it was her hair- she had so much of it- and wore it braided down one shoulder, and yet strands of it framed her face and occasionally fell into her eyes. Or her lips- full, and pink- and saying something to him...

"Naruto-kun?"

Shit, she'd asked him something.

"Are you listening?" Reaching over, she gripped his larger hand in hers, and gave it a squeeze. "I'm sorry. You must be so tired. Did you have a tough day?"

She hadn't moved her hand yet, and his stomach was doing something funny.

"No more than usual," he responded, and then moved his hand under the pretence of ordering a drink off the iPad on a table to the side.

The attraction he felt for the girl across from him was something he had been aware of for a while now- but hadn't given much thought to. They didn't really fall into each other's company very often, and he had somewhat foolishly imagined that he could handle being around her for two straight days. After all, as pretty as she was, Sakura was still dating his best friend.

There was no way he would ever act on it.

Sasuke was like a brother to him...

And he would probably skin him alive if he knew he'd tried anything with his girl.

Still, he knew he was in some real trouble being alone with her.

"I'm so excited for all this," she was telling him, just as they made their way to their departure gate ten minutes later. "Thank you- _again_- for suggesting it."

And the smile she gave him was so genuine and bright, it made his chest tighten up.

For the hundredth time, it occurred to him just how bad of an idea this was.

How exactly did he plan on surviving the weekend?

* * *

Kyoto in the wintertime was magical.

They arrived as the sun was setting in a myriad of burning orange and red hues, casting a glow over the city skyline. An odd mixture of ancient temples, five-story pagodas and modern skyscrapers, the place had a completely different atmosphere to Tokyo.

Sakura was fascinated by everything from the soft Kanto dialect the resident's spoke in, to the quiet streets and picturesque setting.

A chauffeured car picked them up from the airport, and as they drove to the hotel Sasuke had booked for her stay, Naruto pointed out some of the sights, promising to show her everything she cared to see. As he spoke to her in his easy, friendly way, Sakura studied him from the corner of her eye.

Blonde, blue-eyed and tanned, he was the opposite of his dark-haired friend in more than just the looks department; where one was open and outgoing, the other was reserved and unapproachable. It was hard for her to understand what they could have in common, and half the time she didn't think they got along at all.

As though sensing her wandering thoughts, Naruto cocked his head in her direction. The afternoon sunlight was shining in through the glass windows, creating a halo affect around his spiky blonde hair: "What is it? Am i boring you?"

"Of course not. I want to learn as much as I can. It's just that," she blushed, chewing on her lower lip, "you're so different to Sasuke-kun. It's hard to believe you two grew up together."

"That's what I've heard. But," he shrugged, "we're not as different as people think."

"What do you mean?"

"Well." And suddenly she could tell he was uncomfortable. "Nothing unusual. It's just that- most of the time- the people who say that don't know either of us."

Somehow, she felt as though she had insulted him, and couldn't think of what to say next.

Luckily, Naruto spared her by leaning back in his seat, shoving a hand through his hair as he yawned. "I'm exhausted. When we get to the hotel, I'll leave you to take a nap and a shower before we meet for dinner. Any preference to where we go?"

"Not at all. I'm completely in your hands."

The look he shot her then was an odd one, but before she could read the expression in his eyes he laughed, and said: "Most people in our circle say that I'm absolutely never allowed to pick the restaurants we eat at."

"Why's that?"

"My favourite food is ramen. I eat it at least twice a week. Usually on my own because everyone else is sick of it."

"I really like ramen too. We should eat that for dinner tonight."

"Are you sure? The best ramen shops in town aren't very glamorous or anything."

"I don't care about that,'' she responded honestly, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ears. "I feel more comfortable at places that aren't so uptight."

He chuckled: "You're really nothing like Sasuke's usual type, you know that?"

"Do you mean like Karin?"

The words were out of her mouth before she could catch herself.

And once they were, she didn't feel like taking them back.

To her surprise, he responded: "Yeah. Exactly like that."

It was her own fault really. She shouldn't have brought up the past if she didn't want to hear about it.

But this was her first time voicing an insecurity of hers to someone in Sasuke's circle, and to be openly told that she wasn't the exotic type he usually went for was a slap in the face.

Maybe that's why Sasuke hadn't brought her around his family and friends; could it be that he was embarrassed?

Even as she thought those things, she knew they weren't true- and yet the impact was enough to dampen her spirits.

"I guess," she said, in a much different tone, "it's hard to understand what he sees in me. We're pretty different, too and-"

"No."

"I'm sorry?"

"No, it's not hard to understand what he sees in you."

Sakura had never seen Naruto be serious about anything before and found it unsettling. She suddenly remembered his earlier words about people not knowing- or not seeing- him for who he truly was.

Could it be that the loud, outgoing personality of his was exaggerated?

"If anything," and now he sounded more like his usual self, "it's hard to understand what _you_ see in _him_."

Sakura laughed, happy to avoid addressing his earlier comment.

Later, much later, when he had helped her check into a fancy suite at a ritzy hotel downtown, announced that he would leave her to her own devices to head to the loft he owned a few blocks away, she would go over their conversation and remember how often Sasuke would claim his friend liked her. Perhaps there was something to that, or perhaps he was just a bit of a flirt.

She was also astute enough to know how fiercely competitive the two friends were, and wouldn't be surprised if that streak of competition extended into their private lives with women.

As she walked around exploring the beautiful suite Sasuke had lavishly booked for her use, Sakura thought of the little she knew about her travel companion. From some of the things Sasuke had said over the years, she knew that Naruto was adopted at a young age and had never discovered- or cared to discover- his biological mother and father.

From a close knit family herself, Sakura couldn't imagine what life must have been like for him.

And for Sasuke-kun.

As wealthy and important as his clan was- she didn't think he had been shown a lot of attention or love as a young child. Which was why she was always so willing to overlook his inability to express his feelings.

After all, before he had met her he had never acknowledged that he even _had_ feelings.

No matter how ruthless he wished to be perceived, he was capable of feeling with all his being. Why else would he think he needed to book such an over-the-top room for her? Did he think it would make up for the lack of his own presence? One thing she had learned about him was that he used gifts and expensive gestures like this one to ease his own guilt about things that were bothering him.

So the question was...just what was he overcompensating for right now?

The answer arrived two hours later, just as Sakura was dozing off for a late afternoon nap. The incessant hammering of the brass knocker on the front doors to the suite startled her into consciousness. Stifling a yawn, Sakura tossed her long legs over the side of the bed, slipping on the complimentary bathrobe style _yukata_ the hotel had offered over her silk teddy as she shuffled over to the door.

Just as she pushed it open, she experienced a loss of gravity as strong hands circled around her waist, jerking her off her feet.

"You're late," she complained, even as he turned to shut the doors (with unusual presence of mind), before carrying her through the sitting room and into the adjoining bedroom.

"Aa." He responded, before unceremoniously dumping her back on the bed.

Moving in after her, he leaned down and kissed her forehead, and then the tip of her nose, and finally, her mouth...

"Mmm," she responded, sliding her hands across his broad shoulders to settle around his neck.

And then, all to suddenly, he stopped.

"Sakura." A pause, followed by: "What are you wearing?"

Embarrassed, Sakura's eyes flew open, colouring up. "I - well- last time, we never...I mean, I- I just thought..."

He smirked, tapping his forefinger against her forehead. "Did the idiot see you in this?"

Somehow, she knew he was only half joking.

"Of course not. I just expected you to be here already, and didn't pack anything comfortable. I thought you'd be happy."

Ignoring the reproachful note in her voice, he lifted the edge of her negligee to take a peek at her push-up bra and matching lace panties. If she expected to be complimented for all the effort she had gone to, she got little more than a raised eyebrow: "Why don't you wear this kind of thing at home?"

"Because we're on vacation right now," she responded, irritated with his lack of appreciation. "Anyway, I don't think you really like me in this so I'll find something to change into-"

"Idiot." He grabbed her arms, holding her in place. "It's fine."

"Let me go, Sasuke-kun."

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

She made a half-hearted attempt to free herself, but he only strengthened his grip.

He was in an odd mood, and she couldn't tell if it was because he really didn't like the lingerie or if it was because they were in his hometown.

"Sasuke-kun, seriously..."

She could tell he was laughing at her, amusement gleaming in his dark eyes even as his expression remained stoic.

Reaching down to cup her face with one hand, he asked: "What do you think of this place?"

"The suite? Or the hotel?"

"Both. Either."

"It's beautiful, but I'm sure it must cost a lot. Are you really fine with that? I can't afford to pay for something like this myself, so I would have preferred a regular room somewhere else..."

"Tch, you really must think I'm good for nothing."

"What?" She was genuinely shocked. "Of course I don't think that. Why would you say that?"

Sakura knew she had pissed him off when he swore under his breath before backed away to sit at the edge of the bed, fingers pinching at the bridge of his nose as though exasperated. He looked so handsome in his fitted suit, his hair all ruffled, and she couldn't understand what they were arguing about now.

She didn't want to argue.

Not tonight.

All she wanted was to be together, and enjoy this trip.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered, crawling over to embrace him from behind, her chin resting on his shoulder. "Why are you mad at me?"

He wouldn't tell her.

He never shared the things that bothered him.

So she was taken aback when he responded with: "I get to fucking decide what I give you and what I don't. You're my woman, right?"

"Yes, but-"

"No buts. That's it."

Sakura knew she had to chose her battles, and this was one she certainly wouldn't win any time soon.

So she decided to press up against his back, nuzzling his neck . "I'm sorry. Let's not fight, okay?"

"Aa."

She could tell he was still annoyed with her, as he didn't turn to return her embrace, choosing instead to sit tense with her arms around him. Grabbing hold of his chin and tilting his face in her direction, Sakura peppered his face with playful kisses until the sides of his mouth were twitching as he resisted breaking into one of his customary half smirk smiles.

"So," she murmured into his ear, "are you going to get back into bed with me now or not?"

He seemed to struggle with himself for a moment, and then he sighed: "I can't stay."

"_What_?"

"My family expects me back." He refused to meet her eye, staring out into space ahead of them instead. "In Tokyo, things are more free. But here, I have responsibilities."

"What does that even mean?"

"It mean's,I'll see you every day... but things are more traditional in Kyoto. I can't sleep here."

Her hands dropped away. "Do you plan on telling them about me?"

He didn't respond.

And she wished it didn't hurt her as much as it did.

She wished she could be as nonchalant as he was. "Well, if that's what you want."

Climbing out of bed, her long hair tumbling across one shoulder and over her face, Sakura tried to leave- for the bathroom, or the hallway outside- any place but in this room with him. Except he was too fast. Before she could do more than take two steps, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her soft form against his hard frame, his brows furrowed.

"Get off me," she bite out, eyes flashing up at him.

He couldn't understand why she was so angry.

What had he said to cause this kind of reaction?

"What's all this about?"

"Oh, don't act like you care."

"Of course I fucking care." He was starting to lose his temper now too.

Why was it so damned hard to get this woman to cooperate with him? Even when he was trying to do the right thing by her?

She was glaring at him from underneath a curtain of pale pink hair, cheeks flushed with unadulterated anger. "I think you should go."

He thought of questioning her further- of shaking her until she saw reason.

But then he thought better of it.

Screw her. He didn't fucking need this.

He knew he would probably hate himself for it later; he knew she would probably cry as soon as he left.

But he was too damn annoyed to think straight.

The moment his hands left hers, Sakura could feel the atmosphere between them change. She refused to meet his gaze, eyes fixed on an interested pattern in the gleaming wooden tiles of the floor beneath her.

She wouldn't look at him, even as he turned and walked out.

Even as his footsteps faded and she heard the click of the door as it shut behind him.

He was gone.

And she hated herself for sending him away.

**(A/N: Okay, this chapter should have had SO MUCH MORE FLUFF IN IT SINCE WE ARE F'ING CANON GUYS. I was so excited on Wednesday, that I read all the spoilers and the chapter itself didn't disappoint. I love that Kishimoto didn't delve too deep into the details of SasuSaku- leaving us with enough room to use our imaginations while CONFIRMING that those two are very much in love (as we suspected all along). What did you guys think of the grand finale? Were you disappointed? Somehow, I don't feel like there will be much interest in this fanfic now because of the canonization- is that weird? Leave me a review with all your thoughts! I'm hoping interest is still alive and kicking so I can post chapter 10 up ASAP.)**


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